


The Pride of the Uchiha

by FictionalQuacker



Series: Flames of Peace: Another path for the Uchiha. [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Coming of Age, Domestic Fluff, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff, Gen, Konoha politics, M/M, NaruHina (background), No Uchiha Massacre, POV Uchiha Sasuke, Romance, Smut, Uchiha Itachi Being a Good Brother, Uchiha Sasuke-centric, Uchiha family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:01:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 82,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27408496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionalQuacker/pseuds/FictionalQuacker
Summary: To Sasuke, being an Uchiha is both a source of pride and great pressure. The life he has with his family and career is a happy one, but for someone with more than just his own future on his shoulders even a happy life is a minefield where the slightest misstep can have catastrophic consequences.AU where the massacre of the Uchiha clan was successfully avoided. Although still quite reclusive, the Uchiha clan’s status in Konoha has significantly stabilized. In short, this is a hopelessly romantic family drama centered around the Uchiha and their relationship to each other and to the Hidden Leaf.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Fugaku/Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Shisui
Series: Flames of Peace: Another path for the Uchiha. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047955
Comments: 174
Kudos: 445





	1. The Cave and the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> This is very much a work in progress, but I am doing my best. It started out as just a fun bit of escapism while quarantined with nothing else to do. Since then it's really grown in my head and I've fallen in love with the story as it has evolved in my brain and become far more difficult to write than how it started out.  
> I hope you enjoy my story! I work on it often, and if an update is slow it's more likely because I'm putting a lot of effort into it than me having dropped it. I have every intention of finishing this! Please be patient with me, and I think you might enjoy the end results :)

It was just their luck to run into an unforeseen obstacle, one which they simply could not avoid. Even after four years on the team, Sasuke could not recall a single mission going smoothly. There was always _something_ going on that they got dragged into. If it was not a political mess it was unexpected enemies. If not that, they ended up helping some stranger or discovering that their task would prove far more dangerous than what they had prepared for. Considering their luck, if they were normal shinobi they would have ended up dead or disbanded years ago. Them still taking on tasks and climbing the ranks was nothing but pure testament to their talents and drive to work hard at improving both themselves and the world they lived in.

This time it was a hurricane. It did not come suddenly, so they had time to find shelter. They were still far from home - near the coast of the Land of Jungles. Sakura and Naruto had both expressed concern for the villages they had passed a few days earlier, but there would be no time to turn back and aid them. Time was already wasting as they had to wait out the mighty gusts of wind and downpour.

The cave was cramped and pitch dark, but it provided plenty of protection against the danger outside. Dark, damp and uncomfortable… but safe. The cold stone walls that surrounded them seemed to zap the warmth out of their bodies, and Sasuke could not help but resent how trapped he felt. The noise from the hurricane dominated the space. Half a day had passed, and Sasuke was growing tired with the constant wailing of the wind against the walls around them.

Sitting curled up with her back bent and her knees close to her chest, Sakura shuddered and pulled her cape closer around her. Naruto was asleep, flat on his back with his head resting against his backpack. Kakashi was simply staring into space. He no doubt wishing he had enough light to read his book without wasting chakra on his Sharingan. Sakura shifted again, appearing to try and get more comfortable.

Sasuke observed her, his eyes straining slightly. _She could catch a cold._ He sighed and went to sit down next to her, bumping against her shoulder intentionally as he lowered himself onto the floor next to her.

“Sasuke-kun?” She asked tenderly. He closed his eyes and grunted in confirmation. She lowered her voice, whispering, “thank you. This helps.”

Grateful for the dark, he felt heat rise in his cheeks when she wrapped her fingers around the arm pressing against hers. Comfortable as they were with each other after years of active shinobi duty under their belts, it still made him tense when she touched him outside the bounds of pragmatism. Knowing that she loved him did nothing to ease that tension.

From his place on the floor, Naruto snored. He had been the first to complain and the first to forget all about the cool air and their soaked clothing. He had even offered his coat to Sakura, who naturally had refused to take it from him. Shorter and skinner than the men, she had the most trouble keeping warm. The first few hours she paced their cramped space in an attempt to keep her blood flowing, but the cold seemed to slowly sap her of her spirit. Perhaps it was the cave that surrounded them or perhaps it was simply the lack of a fire to warm her and chase away the raw touch of humidity in the air. Sasuke did not like seeing her like this; hunched and curled up like a child, shivering as she tried to cling to whatever warmth she could steal from him. It reminded him too much of situations in the past where she had been wounded, poisoned, or drained of chakra.

As much as he disliked seeing it, he knew that vulnerability is temporary, and that it did not make any of them any weaker.

In the darkness the solid purple diamond on her forehead had a slight glow and he could tell it held an impressive load of chakra. Sasuke suspected that even now she was feeding it, preparing for a future where she might need it to aid her friends.

He glanced over at Kakashi, who had finally closed his eye. His chest moved slow and steady. _Asleep,_ Sasuke thought and steeled himself. He wanted to remain awake in case something sudden happened. Against his arm, Sakura failed to suppress a deep shiver.

He frowned at her. “You’re freezing.”

She shook her head, but the rest of her body told a different story. She was tight and tense. Her jaws clenched like she needed to keep her teeth from chattering. Even more than she hated the cold she hated to express any sign of weakness.

Their first year as a team she had been lagging so far behind them in strength it seemed to have almost traumatized her. He knew she carried deep scars of fear of not being good enough, and it could cloud her judgement. Keep her from asking for help even when she clearly needed it. Before Lady Tsunade it had been far worse, however. The old woman and her teaching had been a real blessing. The Fifth Hokage was an impressive woman - even his father held a deep respect for her, and her training was slowly saving Sakura from her own insecurity.

She brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and he held out his hand in front of her. He focused, made the hand signs, and molded his chakra into a small flame in his open palm. A miniature version of a complicated jutsu; his older brother’s _Firefist._ Feeding it more energy, he kept the flame small and contained, but increased the heat. She gazed into it and released one hand from its grip around his arm to hover it near the fire. The light bounced off her eyes, painting them almost orange despite their natural jade color.

“It’s warm… thank you.” She whispered, glancing over at Naruto and Kakashi. He suspected she was quite excited by sitting like this, and it had always been easy with her to forget anyone else being nearby. He wanted her to focus on the flame; to feel warmer so she might be able to rest. His heart raced faster than it was supposed to, beating against his ribs like the skin of a drum being pounded to a beat.

Taking in her grateful, happy face in the light of his fire was a simple, yet effective pleasure. It felt good to know he could help her.

“Better?” He muttered, and when she nodded, he cut off the flow of chakra and let the flame die in his hand. Wasting chakra was a terrible idea in enemy territory. As the fire flickered away out of existence, the hand she had held above it fell into his. His eyes widened. He was not expecting the sudden sensation of her skin against his. Uncertain, he looked to her face for clues for what she was thinking. She held his hand tightly in hers. She squeezed it. Her eyes fluttered, blinking as if not certain herself, but when she met his gaze she did so steadily.

His mouth felt dry. His heart pumped harder. Pressure grew in his chest, strangely both pleasant and raw at the same time. _You would think she had a D_ ō _jutsu – the way she can influence my body with her eyes._

He swallowed, carefully controlled and repressed feelings from the past three years surfacing slowly from the bottom of his ribcage. As much as he struggled against them, they seemed to have a will of their own and his body’s reactions did not subside with the more frustrating years of puberty behind him. He did not want to want her. A platonic bond was expected between teammates for good reasons. Comradery to establish trust and teamwork, but no more. Anything romantic always brought the risk of distraction, emotional outbursts or a reduced ability to tolerate danger. Even if she was by nature the kind of person who bore her heart on her sleeve for everyone to see Sasuke was different. He kept any growing fondness back for the sake of his ambitions.

A feat of discipline, he had to admit. The longer he knew her the more it _felt_ desirable to return her affections, even if he could not possibly make a case for it being the logical thing to do.

She squeezed his hand again, then released it to cup his cheek. Despite himself, he froze. The look on her face betrayed her intentions right away. And… yet… for some reason it made him feel all warm and fuzzy when Sakura came closer.

“Sakura...” Sasuke mumbled. His focus drawn to her lips as she found his with ease. His eyes closed and the sensation of her mouth under his became all that existed. Her lips were chapped and dry, but plump. The feel of them against his made a hot current of strange electricity flow through him. A rush of energy from his brain which he had never felt before, warm and powerful. The pressure in his chest evaporating within a moment. A strange instinct to grab her made his arms itch. Instead of heeding it he pulled away to look at her. Her eyes were closed at first. They opened slowly and gazed up into his.

He wanted to tell her… something, but he could not find the words for what he felt. Sakura furrowed her brows, glaring at him with hungry determination. All signs of being cold or uncomfortable had disappeared from her demeanor. She bit her lip and before he could stop her, had grabbed the front of his collar and put her mouth back onto his.

He blinked, unprepared for her to continue. The rush going through him escalated and became almost overwhelming. Quietly, he closed his eyes and leaned into it.

Sakura’s hand grasped the back of his head and the grip on the fabric at his throat tightened. He felt her lips part against his and without him thinking his tongue slipped past his teeth, lightly brushing against her mouth. The feel of her pink skin against the tip of his tongue made his stomach stir pleasantly, and his thoughts about propriety and decency seemed chased away from his mind. Her hands were firm where they held him, but her lips were kind and gentle. Sasuke found himself accepting the kisses and returning them to the best of his ability as his brain was emptied of everything but her presence, her body, her mouth. Blood rushed embarrassingly far south, and he silently prayed she would not notice it while Sakura’s fingers clutched his collar so tight it threatened to tear, and the fabric became slightly taut against his throat.

“Sakura… you’re choking me…” He whispered, although as soon as he said it, he realized he was not entirely unwilling to endure if it meant he could continue being kissed. Unfortunately, she seemed unwilling to do that to him. With a surprised squeal she released her grip and jumped back.

“Sorry!” She gasped, looking bewildered with her open hands in the air in front of her – a simple gesture of surrender. Sasuke felt tempted to grab her, but stopped himself when Kakashi stirred in his sleep, making a small noise reminding them he and Naruto were still there. Sasuke and Sakura stared at each other in silence, growing painfully aware of what they had just done and where they had done it. They were both quiet for several seconds before finally returning to sitting side-by-side and listening to the storm outside. Sasuke did not offer her his arm again, nor did she try to hold it.

 _Damn it, you idiot! You lost control!_ He chided himself. Sasuke thought about his father and a sinking, almost nauseating feeling formed in his guts. Kissing someone was one thing, but doing it while on a mission and in enemy territory was another. It was embarrassing for an Uchiha to be so undisciplined.

“Sorry. I overdid it.” Sakura apologized while refusing to look at him.

“Don’t…” He grumbled, trying to calm himself down.

“That was stupid of me. Now… Here…” She gestured vaguely at the cavern around them, looking at him again, although she was unable to keep eye-contact for more than a moment. He gritted his teeth, wordlessly agreeing with her. “Are you angry, Sasuke-kun?”, she grumbled.

Frowning, he nudged her with his elbow. “Let’s put it out of our minds for now.” He replied, sounding a lot more collected than he felt. Suddenly Kakashi stirred again, opening his visible eye and letting out a relieved breath. Sasuke tensed, as if he wanted to run or fight.

“Not an unwise decision.” Their teacher said softly. Sasuke suddenly wished he knew enough earth release to be able to disappear into the mountain below them. Kakashi’s eye looked around the cave, searching for something while he talked. “Figured I’d let you finish, though I am grateful you ended it there. Wouldn’t want to wake Naruto.”

Sasuke felt his ears burn as hot as his face. Sakura sputtered next to him, distressed.

“You were awake?!” She hissed. “How much… What did you…”

“Listen, it’s fine. I’ve witnessed far worse while traveling with adults. Things happen, as long as it does not get in the way of the mission there’s no reason to fuss over it.” His one eye finally landed on Sasuke, crinkling gently while he smiled. “However. I do worry that there’s too much emotion between you two. I’m very happy with the teamwork you’ve all built up, but the backside to being close is it gets far too personal when something goes wrong.”

 _And for us, something always goes wrong._ Sasuke reminded himself. He cleared his throat, not fully trusting it to function as normal.

“We’ll sort things out back in Konoha.” He replied, careful to keep his voice down.

Kakashi nodded, however his expression grew more tense. “You do that. However, I feel like I have to warn you. If you do decide to pursue this, one of both of you will have to be redesignated to new teams.”

“What?” Sakura gasped, hiding her mouth behind her fingers. Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek, a guttural feeling of regret and guilt building where it had stirred so pleasantly earlier.

“It’s protocol, I’m afraid. Neither family members nor romantic couples are typically allowed on missions together.” Kakashi finished, looking apologetically at both of them. He narrowed his eyes at the older man, remembering reading something like that in the rulebook for ninja way back in the Academy. Considering how Sakura had pursued him a few years back, she might have missed that particular rule. However, knowing her and her big brain it seemed more likely she disliked it and had decided to ignore it.

Finally, Naruto stirred too, waking up. He stretched and sat up, looking around in the dark. “Mornin’. Man, it’s dark in here. Is it night already?”

The distraction was quite welcome, Sasuke leaned back against the wall and sighed. “No, did you forget this is a cave?”

“Boo, you jerk. I was just askin’!” Naruto stuck his hand down his backpack and brought up a square wrapped in wax paper. He unwrapped it, bringing out a small brown ball and tossing it at Sasuke. “You should eat, you look like you’ve had a shock or something. Hope you’re in the mood for food-pills!”

The storm raged for another day, and when they could finally leave their cave Team Kakashi were grateful to be out. With the energy pent up in their legs they swept through the landscapes quickly towards home and within a few days the Hidden Leaf was spread out in front of them.

Awkwardness between him and Sakura was kept at bay until they made it back, then a pressing need to have an unnerving conversation grew by the minute. As soon as they finished reporting back to Lady Tsunade, Sasuke and Sakura snuck off before Naruto could try to stop them.

If there was any benefit to the days of traveling with their mouths wired shut about what happened in the cave, it was that they had both been given time to think about what they wanted to say to each other now.

And yet, facing each other behind the Academy, the silence between them was potent.

Sakura had liked him for as long as he could remember. His own feelings for her had changed as he got to know her. Fun, challenging… even the painful memories made their connection stronger. When they were thirteen, he had initially realized she might be becoming important to him, when he was starting to see his team almost like an extension of his family. When she or Naruto were hurt, it was painful for him, too. When they were in danger their fear became his.

However, Sakura was obviously different from family. For a start, he had really liked kissing her. He was not an idiot and he knew it was normal. Most people found someone they liked at some point – why would he be any different? It might be inconvenient considering they were on the same team and because she was an outsider to the clan, which meant pursuing a relationship with her could turn out to be a hindrance when it came to his goal of leading the Military Police Force, but it was still the truth. Suppression was not denial. _Acting_ like he was just her friend and _lying_ to himself did not seem compatible.

Secondly, she was very different from him while still being easy to communicate with. That made him drawn to her in a way he could not fully explain. But none of his feelings could change the fact that they were not in line with their goals.

“Sasuke-kun, I’ve thought a lot about it…” Sakura started, regarding him carefully. “You know how I feel about you. I can’t help it.”

He blinked slowly at her, waiting for her to continue. 

“When… uhm. It didn’t seem like you hated it…” She clutched the front of her top.

“I didn’t.” He muttered, feeling his cheeks turn slightly red.

“Oh. Well.” She shifted and twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers. “I guess I need to know what to do next.” Her voice trailed off, and her eyes almost wavered from his.

Sasuke did his best to keep his mannerism relatively cool. He clenched his fists, but he did not look away from her. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to pursue anything now.”

Sakura’s eyes fell from his and lingered on the ground between them. “You’re right.” Sakura said, her voice shaking with sadness. “But… Uhm… do you want me to give up on you forever?”

He hesitated. Her eyes shot up at him, surprisingly free from tears and instead burning with something fierce he had only seen a handful of times on her. Behind his ribcage, his insides _hurt_. Carefully keeping his mouth shut he closed his eyes and had to think, had to see beyond the immediate, emotional reaction of his and think of the full picture before he answered her.

One part of him told him that the answer should be _yes_ because they had no idea what the future would be like and he could promise her nothing. But the opposite was just as good an answer for that very reason – he had no idea what _‘forever’_ would turn out to be like. And even beyond that, if she wished to continue hoping, then that should be up to her. He had his own choices to make. So he told her what he thought was the most honest answer he had for her: “I cannot decide that for you.”

Sakura inhaled slowly. He opened his eyes and when he met hers the jade turned slightly darker as tears wetted them. She sniffed once, then steadied herself and held herself tall and proud in front of him.

“You want to join the Police Force one day, right? And I have my own dreams that I don’t think I can accomplish constantly going on missions. Sooner or later, we will have to leave Team Kakashi either way. Let’s just... be comrades for now.” She glanced away at the last second, finishing while looking away from him. He nodded slowly.

“I agree.”

“Okay then. Friends!” She smiled, her tears escaping down her face. He nodded, gritting his teeth at the spiral of pain that threatened to engulf him. There was nothing rational about it – and yet it felt as real as if a kunai was piercing him.


	2. Sakura's Birthday

“Sakura-chan! Congratulations!” Naruto boomed, confetti exploding from a popper in his hands. All twelve of them made a toast for her and Sasuke watched her blush with excitement. Sakura was at the short end of the table, gleaming with her hair up and wearing a brand-new red dress. All her old friends were dressed up and gathered in a rented locale. They had already finished dinner, being served small bowls of her favorite dessert. Seeing the syrup covered fruit, Sasuke quietly shoved his in front of Chouji.

“Turning twenty is a big deal – welcome to adulthood!” Ino shouted and wrapped an arm around her. Sakura laughed, but was interrupted by the door slamming open. Surprised, they all turned to look at a grinning Tsunade in the entry, one hand still on the door and one holding a sealed ceramic pot.

“Sakura!” Her voice boomed, and Sakura jumped to her feet.

“Master?” She looked happy to see her, although surprised by her teacher’s sudden appearance. It was no secret how much she adored her, but she had still not invited the old woman to her birthday party.

“It’s about time! I’m so proud of you!” Tsunade walked over to her, her steps careless and heavy. _Is she drunk?_ Sasuke wondered, noting the lack of control in the way she was moving. “I bring a gift – you better enjoy it tonight or I’ll be gravely disappointed.”

“Oh, thank you. Tsunade-sama, you really didn’t need to…” Sakura paused, staring at the ceramic pot offered to her. Her smile faded, and a frown took its place. “Booze?”

Tsunade laughed and pushed the pot into her hands, Sakura’s frown deepening.

“Come on! You can legally drink now, it’s obligatory to get wasted on your twentieth birthday. Trust me, it’s good quality.” Tsunade laughed. Ino seemed even more excited than before, giggling behind her fist. Sakura hesitated but surrendered.

“Thank you, Tsunade-sama…” She sighed, holding the pot against her hip. Tsunade seemed satisfied, turning and commanding them to have a good evening as she left the room. Sasuke did not know her well but the former Hokage still carried an undeniable air of authority.

“Have fun everyone! Take care of my sweet little student, won’t you?” Was the last words she said before slamming the door behind her.

“Hahaha! Oh man, I can’t wait to see you drunk, Sakura-chan!” Naruto laughed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“There’s no way she could down that whole thing, she’d totally die.” Ino said playfully. “Come on, eat up and then we’ll play a drinking game together!”

“But we’re not all legal yet.” Shikamaru grumbled. “No-brain games like that are no fun anyway, it’s easier to just drink and be done with it.”

“Oh shut it, we’re here to make sure Sakura is having an amazing night so of course we’ll make an effort. Right, Naruto?”

“Yeah!” Naruto agreed, raising his glass towards her. Sasuke frowned. The only reason Ino directed the question towards Naruto was that she knew he would agree with her. She was pushing to get it her way, but he supposed it would be up to Sakura what they would do. To his disappointment, she did seem unwilling to disregard her master’s order since she helped clear away all the bowls and unsealed the ceramic pot.

He did not particularly mind drinking, thought he had no interest in it either. Saké did not appeal to him and he had never tried it since it was unhealthy. Besides, he doubted his parents would approve of him getting drunk even if it could be claimed to be under the former Hokage’s orders.

As it turned out he had little choice however, as he was pulled into the game with the rest of them when Ino filled his glass with the celebratory saké. Sakura shot him a look brimming with excited expectation despite her own initial hesitation, so he begrudgingly agreed to join them. _It’s her celebration. Ino was right about one thing; we are only here for her to begin with._

Rock Lee was the only one without any of the hard drink in his glass… all of them remembered far too well how he reacted to so much as a drop of alcohol in his system. Ino served everyone but him and reclaimed her seat next to Sakura, clapping her hands together and looking around the table expectantly.

“So! Anyone know any drinking games?” She asked.

“Hey, I thought you had one in mind. Considering this was your idea.” Tenten complained. Ino just shrugged, and the group of friends was quiet for a moment before Sakura pitched in.

“Well, I’ve had to sit through a whole bunch of them with Tsunade-sama. What kind did you have in mind?”

“Hmm… something fun, obviously.” Ino paused, then winked. “We’ve known each other for a long time but I think there’s still a lot of dirt to dig up, don’t you think?”

Sakura made a nervous face.

“Ah, that sort of game?” She scratched her cheek. “There is one where you take turns confessing something you’ve never done and then everyone who has done it takes a sip to reveal themselves. It can be really embarrassing, though.”

“Perfect! Let’s start easy. I have never been drunk before.” Ino clapped her hands together and sat back, watching their reactions. Sakura blushed, and she brought her glass to her lips. Ino gave her a surprised look.

“What? This isn’t the first time Tsunade-sama pushed this stuff on me.” Sakura explained. Somehow, that did not surprise him.

Naruto was next, cupping his chin as he thought.

“Hmmm… I’ve never broken a promise. I think, anyway.” He said hesitantly.

“Of course not! Promises are vital bonds of friendship and comradery!” Lee announced, raising his fist. Awkwardly, Sasuke had to consider drinking. Sakura watched him, probably thinking about the same thing as him: they might have promised to be friends, but in certain moments that had been… difficult.

They were spared the explosion however, as before either of them could make up their mind it was Hinata’s turn.

“Oh. I… uhm… I’ve never… broken or lost something I borrowed?” She mumbled, glancing up at Naruto as she did with those round, purple puppy-eyes of hers. Sasuke frowned, contemplating how it was possible that she had acted this way around Naruto for years before the dimwit figured out what it meant. Naruto had never been popular and that was all the more reason he should have noticed her intentions before her famous confession. Professing your feelings during a mission was one thing, but she had done it in the middle of a battle with half the shinobi of Konoha watching. _Her clan Elders must be losing it over their heiress chosing him of all people._ As protective of their Eyes as the Uchiha were, the Hyuuga were even more strict. At least his clan did not specifically forbid marriages to outsiders or place seals on their members.

The confessions stayed honorable enough the first round, Sasuke made the confession he has never skipped training, which earned a scoff from Naruto.

“That’s more of a brag than a confession, idiot.”

“And never having broken a promise is embarrassing to you, is it?” He retorted coolly. Naruto looked ready to provoke him further when Ino interrupted. Smirking, her eyes turned to Shikamaru.

“I’ve never kissed someone during a mission.”

Sasuke tensed, and so did Shikamaru.

“Oi, you cruel woman. What did I do to you?” Shikamaru muttered. He took a sip from his glass all the same. Sasuke looked to Sakura to see what she would do and felt his gut clench as she quietly drank too. Having little choice but to reveal himself, Sasuke felt his skin burn and took his first drink. The saké was both sour and bitter. He furrowed his brows, but he surprisingly did not hate the taste of it. He watched Naruto drink and concluded he must be thinking of the rather painful memory of being glued stuck to Sasuke and accidentally getting forced together after falling down a waterfall. It did not seem like he had noticed Sakura taking a sip.

Hinata was red, staring at Naruto with wide eyes. Neji no doubt noticed, as he crushed the glass in his hand while glaring at Naruto. 

Kiba laughed, dunking his hand against the table.

“Really? Wow, do I dare ask who kissed who?”

“Hahaha, that’s amazing! All of Team Seven? You’ve gotta spill!” Ino squealed, patting Sakura’s back with her hand. Sasuke felt an urge to get up and leave, but he was not so socially inept he thought that accomplish anything but confirm his guilt in the eyes of Sakura’s friends. Instead, he tried to force his skin to go back to its natural pale color with sheer willpower.

“What’s it to you, piggy? There’s no rule saying we have to tell you anything.” She said, sticking out her tongue at Ino. Thankfully, the other girl resigned, leaning back and sneering at Sakura.

 _This is a stupid game. I must be an idiot for playing it._ Sasuke thought, starting to regret not having made an escape earlier. At this point, breaking the rules or running away seemed worse than fessing up to his past sins, however.

“My turn again, huh?” Naruto scratched the back of his head. His skin was turning redder, and Sasuke found it hard to decide if it was because of the previous confession or him already having emptied half his glass. “I’ve never… rejected a confession?” He muttered, shrugging.

Sasuke sighed and took a larger sip than before. The liquor burned him this time, stinging the back of his throat as he swallowed.

“Uhm… I’ve… never…” Hinata began but stopped half-way through. “So… sorry. I can’t come up with anything.” She mumbled. Taking pity on her, Shikamaru took over the turn.

“Fine. I’ve never been on a date.”

“Wait, so how did you kiss someone then?” Tenten pitched in, leaning over the table. Shikamaru scoffed. To Sasuke’s surprise, everyone with a glass except for him drank at that. Naruto grinned and put an arm around Hinata, his face slowly getting close to hers in terms of color. Neji glared at him, but he did not seem to notice.

Sasuke shot a look at Sakura. She did not look back at him. Over the past four years since their first incident in that cave there had been moments of lacking discipline between them. He thought none of it could possibly count as a date however, so he was not lying by refraining from drinking. Agreeing to be comrades had not erased the warmth between them. Romance in itself had never been interesting to him, nor did they try to pursue such a change to their relationship. However… there had been times where their more primal urges made themselves known. Times when they were exhausted and hurting… or overwhelmed by their circumstances with little hope for what was to happen next. During such moments he clung to her to stay afloat, to keep himself from slipping into hopelessness. Each time it had helped. Feeling her by his side he could carry on just a little bit longer, push himself a little bit harder. It worked for her too, and so their agreement had been just… too little to keep them fully innocent of indiscretions.

There was nothing particularly sane or wise about desperate embraces and stolen kisses. It was just reality that they helped each other, even if it was the one way they were not supposed to do it. Slight pain shot through his head and he had to snap out of his thoughts before they had a chance to show on his face. It was his turn to come up with an acceptable confession.

“I’ve never quit a book before finishing it.” He said, knowing Naruto would have to drink but not caring much of the result.

“Tsk, lame!” Naruto muttered. Even Sasuke agreed it was but remained on the side of caution intentionally. Kiba side-eyed him.

“Well then. I’ve never read pervy books.” Chouji announced. Tenten sputtered, hiding her mouth behind her hand. Naruto and Kiba both drank in unison, followed by Ino and, unexpectedly, Sakura. Sasuke sent her a questioning look. He had no idea what Sakura was guilty of consuming, but he could not judge her for it. Especially not after finding a copy of one of the same books Kakashi carried around everywhere in Itachi’s room. Whatever Kakashi was interested in did not matter, but his elder brother was a different story. It had been a challenge to face his brother without laughing for a while after that.

Suddenly, he caught Naruto glaring at him.

“This won’t do. He’s taken like, two sips while the rest of us are emptying our glasses. We’ve gotta get Sasuke to drink more.”

Looking around it turned out to be true. Sasuke was the only one with a nearly full glass in front of him. He frowned, still not wanting to get noticeably abbreviated.

“I’m playing along, aren’t I?” He replied, firm and stern. Naruto’s eyes were slightly unfocused but did not relent.

“Hey, Kiba. Confess something you think he’s done.” Naruto said with a cold look. Sasuke felt a surge of irritation. He did not appreciate being targeted specifically and hoped he would not take the bait.

“Uh… I dunno, I’ve never kissed a man.” Kiba offered absentmindedly. Sasuke wanted to throw a fireball at him, begrudgingly drinking. Naruto laughed, pausing only to drink too. Every girl had to drink but the focus was not on them now. Lee was up next.

“I’ve never kissed a girl… Although I pray to the Heavens I one day will.” He proclaimed, giving Sakura a shameless thumbs-up. Tenten groaned next to him. Sasuke drank again, narrowing his eyes at him.

“This is foolish. I’ve never been defeated by someone on my team.” Neji continued the streak with his arms crossed. Sasuke drank. He could feel his ears turning red and his throat slightly protesting the rapid intake of such a hard drink. Whatever saké Tsunade had gifted Sakura was no doubt quite strong. Tenten, being next in line seemed less inclined to continue the group effort directed at Sasuke since she shot him an uncomfortable glance.

“This feels a bit mean, you guys. I’ll say something I don’t think you’ve done, okay?” She paused to think. “Hm… I’ve never had a pet?”

He appreciated the innocence of her confession. Still, he had to drink.

“We used to have a cat for a few years.” He explained casually. The poor thing had been a stray kitten, all alone and hungry in an alley within the compound. When he found no owner among his clansmen he took it home and convinced his mother to let him keep it. Eventually even his father had grown fond of the furry bastard before he inexplicably ran away from home and disappeared for good. Sakura looked at him as if he had just confessed something amazing, staring at him pink-faced and with stars in her eyes. He looked away before his own face could turn any pinker than alcohol was making it.

“Sakura-chan, it’s your turn.” Naruto reminded her. She snapped her head towards him and blinked, stalling her turn.

“I know. It’s just getting harder to come up with stuff I’ve never done.”

“I know something you’ve never done. _It._ ” Ino purred next to her, downing the remaining liquid in her glass and refilling it right away. Sakura blushed, slapping her hand on the table.

“Ino!”

“Tch.” Sasuke crossed his arms, leaning back and biting the inside of his lip. To his irritation, Naruto smiled and drank, causing Hinata to hide behind her hands. Neji looked just about ready to challenge him to a fight when Tenten drinking seemed to distract him. Shikamaru drank, and to everyone’s surprise, so did Shino. The guy had sat silently, not touching his drink the entire time. Then again, the guy had an eerie talent for melting away into the background. Either way, Sasuke did not care and he did not touch his glass.

An unfamiliar, warm fuzz in his head was dulling his senses somewhat. Never having drunk before he did not recognize it, but he assumed it must be the drinking. At this point more than half his glass was consumed. It was not so bad as he thought, at worst it was a minor obstacle to normal function. He had experienced far worse from poisoned weapons and this time he knew there was no risk of dying. Concluding it to be fairly harmless, albeit inappropriate, he relaxed and felt less apprehension about drinking more.

“Uh, guys. Maybe it’s time to quit. Naruto is not looking too perky…” Sakura said, getting up to touch his forehead. “You’re only having water from now on, you hear?”

“Come on… I can take it!” He muttered. Sakura narrowed her eyes.

“Do you know how we treat alcohol poisoning? If you did, you would not be so careless.” She threatened.

“Why the hell would I know? That won’t happen, though. No way. Believe it.” He defended himself. Sakura did not look impressed, leaning closer to him.

“Stomach pumping, Naruto. Don’t think I won’t do it to you if you push your limits.” She said, dangerously soft and sweet. “First, you insert a tube through the throat…”

“Woah, okay okay!!” He gasped, a look of terrified disgust on his face. “You’re scary.” She smiled and sat back down in her seat. Ino giggled nervously, looking around the table.

“Fine, fine. Let’s just hang out.”

“Actually, there is something I’d like to do.” Sakura pitched, putting her hands together.

At her request, they left the locale and went outside. They snuck onto the Academy grounds and climbed onto the rooftop. Sitting under the great white valves where Team 7 had made their very first introductions with Kakashi, their group settled down together and passed the pot around, taking turns to drink from it. It was chilly, and not all of them wanted to stay. Chouji was the first to excuse himself and go home, followed by Tenten and Neji, who dragged Hinata with him. Kiba was next, yawning as he stalked off.

Sakura looked happy, however. _That’s all that matters._ Sasuke thought to himself, quietly relieved at the shrinking of their company. The fuzz in his head had spread to his body, his limbs feeling strangely light. For some reason it did not bother him and whenever the pot came to his hands, he swallowed another mouthful. It was unexpectedly comfortable to socialize like this. The cool air was pleasant against his skin, and something about the darkness made him relax. Eventually, Shino thanked Sakura for the party and left them too.

The longer they spent talking, the more at ease Sasuke felt and he even began jumping in with his own thoughts and ideas in the conversation. Whenever Sakura looked at him, her wide eyes were full of joy and that spurred him on further.

“Sasuke, you’re quite the talker when you’re drunk.” Naruto said with a grin, and for once Sasuke could take his comment as a compliment. The pot was passed to Sasuke and he raised it to his lips. Still quite hazy, his friend fell flat onto his back and smiled up at the sky.

“Naruto? You okay?” Sakura asked, looking like she wanted to check him again. He nodded but sighed deeply and stared up at the valve above them.

“I’m fine. It’s just… I think I have to marry Hinata.” He declared. Sasuke sputtered, nearly choking on the drink in his mouth.

“Have to?” He coughed. “Don’t tell me you think she’s…” He tried, but it was hard to get the words out. Naruto turned his head to him, raising his eyebrows.

“What are you talking about?” He seemed to realize what Sasuke meant and laughed at him. “Hah! No, you idiot.”

Sasuke wanted to throttle him then, it was a perfectly reasonable concern considering what he had confessed to during the game. There was always _some_ risk - and it would shock him if the Hyuuga Elders had not already called a meeting to discuss the potential spoiling of her future.

“I just mean…” Naruto continued, rolling his head back to face the sky. “I guess I just can’t imagine not marrying her one day anymore.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened, gazing at his best friend with something like wonder. Sakura gasped and made an excited little noise, and even Ino was rendered speechless. Despite probably knowing him better than either of them not even Sasuke had predicted his feelings for her ran that deep.

But as determined as Naruto could be… he had not grown up in a clan. He would have no idea of the obstacles he would be facing, trying to snatch the hand of a woman from one of Konoha’s most powerful and ancient families. With an incredibly valuable blood limit ability, at that.

“That will be difficult. A clan like hers will not surrender her without a fight.” He said, trying to sound gentle. Naruto’s eye twitched, clearly he was striking a nerve. He sighed. “Look, it’s just that clans have rules. Marriage being one of the big things they’re more restrictive about, so prepare yourself for that.” Sasuke continued, trying not to look at Sakura or think about his own family traditions.

Naruto sat up, his expression softening. Sasuke could tell he was moved, and still quite drunk, but even so he did not expect the man to cry at his words.

“You…” He sobbed, Sasuke staring in horror at him. “Despite being a jerk… and a bit of a dumbass… you’re a good friend.” Naruto cried, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Snot left his nose and Sasuke had no idea what to do.

Lee got up, dragging Naruto to his feet by pulling him by the arms. He too, had tears streaming down his face. “This is truly moving! However. I think it’s time for Naruto-kun to get home.” Lee announced, bowing to Sakura. He and Naruto disappeared with a swish, as Lee jumped away.

Sakura looked absentmindedly after them, clutching her cheeks in her hands. “Naruto… I don’t know what to say.” She finally said, breathlessly.

“He’s always been a bit rash, but I’ve never known him to announce anything he intends to do without following it up.” Ino commented, looking from Sakura to Sasuke before standing up. “Well, I guess the party is over. Walk her home, okay? It would be rude to make the birthday girl go home all alone.” She said with a wink. He scowled, although he was grateful Ino was already walking away.

He turned back to look at Sakura, daring to linger longer on her than he had all evening. He was beginning to regret continuing to drink after leaving the locale. They had not been alone for a while, and for some reason the warm fuzz he felt around her was so much stronger with the booze in his system.

Sakura looked at him, too. She did nothing to hide the affection on her face while she shifted and draped her skirt over her knees. Her eyes moved over his body slowly.

“What is it?” He wondered. His voice came out louder than he intended it to.

“Nothing. You’re just handsome.” She said, calm and sincere, and he felt the corners of his mouth twist into a smile on their own volition. “I’ve never seen you all dressed up before.”

He had not seen her in such an impractical dress before, either. Naturally, he had far more decorative outfits for ceremonies at home, but shinobi rarely wore anything fancy. When he told her about Sakura’s birthday coming up, his mother had prepared a blue dress-shirt with small, embroidered Uchiwa on the collar and tailored black slacks for him. He had never seen the garments before, but since he knew better than to question his mother he wore them without asking where they came from.

Thinking about clothing made him remember the gift he had for her. Inching closer to her, he fished out the plain paper box out of his pocket and stuck it in her hand.

“Happy birthday.”

Sakura fingered the box and glanced up at him with a wondering look before sticking a nail under the lid to it and opening it up. A small, metal hairpin shaped like a cherry blossom stuck out from a bed of silk within the box. It reflected the light from the moon, and Sakura gasped. Perhaps it was cliché considering her name and hair, but she seemed so taken with it that it hardly mattered.

“Wow, it’s so pretty.” She admired it closely.

“It’s hollow. You can open it and keep a small dose of poison or medicine inside.” He explained, leaning back on his arms. She giggled, putting the pin in the hair on the side of her head.

“Of course. I should have known right away it’s practical as well as beautiful. That’s so like you.” She said, eyeing him up and down with a smile on her lips. His face was quite warm, despite the cool air. Through the fuzz in his body, he felt himself stir. Now that they were alone, there was little beyond his own discipline keeping him in check.

“How does it look?” She closed her eyes and turned her head to show him the pin. There was no way she did not already know she was beautiful, and it was perfect on her. Swallowing, he found it hard to look away from her. There was a cloud over his brain, acting like a barrier between his consciousness and his impulse control. The consequences of kissing her seemed somehow… far away. Irrelevant.

Impulsively and not sure if it was wise or utterly foolish, he took a breath and reached out for her.

As if she knew what he was thinking she met him. The distance between them closed when she got on her knees and leaned towards him. Still sitting on his ass, he helped her climb onto his lap. Sakura was so close to him now, her face lit in a mixture of excitement and anxiety. They stared at each other. Wide and full of that nervous light of hers, her eyes made him forget that she was supposed to be his friend. Tension spread over his chest like a leather strap bearing down on his ribs. Her body was so close above his, held perfectly still and waiting to see what would happen. Sasuke’s skin tingled. His heart seemed to want to reach out of his body where it would be exposed to her, surely she could tell just how hard it was beating just by looking at him. It grew hard to breathe – the invisible strap around his chest constraining as he felt an increasing need to touch her.

Sasuke lifted his hand and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. He watched the pink brim of her mouth move with his finger and realized how numb his own felt. When he looked back into her eyes, a small shiver ran through her. Then she leaned in.

As soon as she moved he automatically followed. Their lips pressed together; through the numbness the pressure was everything he craved. Thirsty and positively spinning he pushed forward and sought her tongue with his own. She tasted of saké and syrup, but he did not care if it was too sweet. Right then he would have loved any flavor on her, drinking it in with a greed he had not experienced before.

He hungered for her, and buried a hand in her hair - undoing her up-do as he was too rough and careless. The fabric of the dress-shirt was thinner than what he usually wore, and her heat leaked through it when she pressed her chest against his.

“Sasuke-kun…” She moaned between kisses, and he felt as if he had no air left in his lungs. Inhaling, he took a break from her lips. She stilled in front of him, eyes closed and breathing slowly. On a whim, he pressed her forehead against his and silently let the rush of affection for her run through him. It was incredible. Unlike any love he had ever felt in his life.

Sakura’s hands found the one still resting in his lap and pressed it against her chest, making him cup something soft and round. His eyes shot open. He understood she wanted him to touch her, but he was unsure of how. Squeezing experimentally, he stared at her with wide eyes and a malfunctioning brain. He had not noticed she did not wear a brasserie all night. Like all female ninja she always wore thick, protective underthings and the thought that they would not be under that flowy red dress had not even occurred to him.

His heart racing, he watched her reaction carefully. She smiled, her eyes still closed, and brushed her forehead against his when she slowly shook her head.

“I’m so happy.” She whispered before tipping his head back and kissing him again. Sasuke’s mouth opened under hers, and her arms slipped around his neck as the tip of her tongue slid past his lips. His stomach stirred pleasantly first. The sensation quickly traveled down below his waist and he felt himself beginning to harden under her. Pushed forward by another impulse and the pounding desire growing in his body he slipped the hand buried in her hair up her skirt, following the outside of her thigh to her backside. Something soft like cotton met his fingertips and he brushed that aside to fill his hand with her muscular behind. Sakura let out another low moan against his lips.

His mind was blank, his body leading the way without him instructing it. Some part of him realized then why it was so taboo to send couples on missions – if this is what it felt like to be intimate then surely it could distract just about anyone. Sakura’s fingers ran over his back as if they were searching for something to hold on to, before she wrapped them around his jaws instead, holding him still. Her probing tongue pushed further into his mouth and sought to wrestle with his.

Now it was he who made a noise. Low and rough, a moan rumbled through his throat. He gripped her firmly with the hand under her skirt and brought his other hand beneath the skirt to join it on the opposite side of her.

His slacks had grown uncomfortable and tight. Sakura however, had no reason to be uncomfortable with nothing but flimsy, soft cotton in the way. Hooking his fingers under the edge of her underwear, he tugged at it.

“Sakura, can I?” He breathed, suddenly remembering his brother once mentioning something about always asking for permission during an exceptionally uncomfortable conversation when he was fifteen. Peering through his eyelashes, he saw her nod and pulled.

The panties slipped down her thighs and he followed her legs towards her middle, until he found hair. Swallowing, he kept tracing her curves until he found what must be her groin. Although he would never admit it, he had never seen what was between a woman’s legs before. Well, not since he was so small he still took baths with his mother… but he had no memory of that. Also, that was his mother. He would rather not think about it.

The surface between her legs was slick and warm, the skin soft and thin like on her lips. He had overheard other men talking about women getting _wet_ in the past, but it was not the type of wetness he had expected. It did not feel like she had water between her legs. It was some slicker, thicker liquid coating his fingers as he explored. Sakura’s own fingers on his face clutched him tighter. He took her heavier breaths as encouragement and focused on finding out how he could make it feel good for her. Searching for a spot that would excite her, he nudged something he had not initially noticed at the very front of her wet area. A small nub, tiny but firm, hid beneath a small fold of skin. When his fingers brushed over it, Sakura tensed and dug her fingertips into his face.

“What’s that?” He asked, softly.

“Clitorial glans.” She whispered back. “A cluster of, at average, eight thousand nerve endings connected to the larger clitoris.” She rambled, and he scoffed. Despite herself, she pouted and opened her eyes. “Something funny?”

“Always the medical expert.” He said simply, kissing her again. She responded by biting his lip, a move he found strangely arousing despite the aggression. Sakura finally moved her hands away from his face and let them rest against his chest instead. Not allowing himself to get too distracted by her mouth, he intentionally sought for a good way to touch the little cluster of nerves. After some trial and error with less than satisfying sounds escaping Sakura, he placed two fingers on each side of it and gently moved the skin covering it up and down. That was very successful. Sakura squeezed his legs between her knees, pushing down against his hand. She moaned and gasped, her breathing growing irregular.

“Aa…” She whispered, putting her face against the side of his neck. Sakura grabbed his wrist and he almost thought she wanted to stop him, but instead she led him further back with his palm pressing against her slippery skin, her hand taking a position on top of his and curling his middle finger up towards her. Before he realized what she was up to, his finger had slipped inside of her and she opened her eyes again. “There.” She said, her voice surprisingly steady and firm despite the way she was breathing. Not about to question her, he moved.

Clutching the fabric at the front of his shirt, she pressed her forehead hard against his neck and took short, sharp breaths as he tried to find the movements she would appreciate the most. He tried moving his hand back and forth, in and out, and just staying buried inside her while curling and twisting his finger. She seemed to like smooth, long movements, so he tried for a steady rhythm slipping in and out of her with his finger slightly hooked.

“One more.” She mumbled. It took him a second to figure out what she meant but he pushed his ring finger inside of her. In response she arched her back and clutched his shirt tighter, biting her lower lip and scrunching up her face. Since she did not move to stop him, he picked back up on moving his hand. He trusted her to let him know if something felt unpleasant, so her choked moaning could only be positive.

An idea struck him, and he searched for her clitoris again with his thumb as he moved. When he found it, she squealed and moved to bury her face in his shoulder. Fascinated, he rolled his thumb over the nub while pulling his fingers in and out of her.

“Ngh!” She groaned and he felt her body tense, almost alarmingly taut against his, until a shudder ran through her and she bit down on his shoulder. It hurt, but not enough to distract him from what was happening around his fingers. He had not realized that the walls inside her were lined with muscles, but they _had_ to be as there was no doubt the walls were moving. He could feel them tighten, release and then tighten again in quick, short waves. The outside of her seemed to move too, a slight pulsation against his palm. After a good ten seconds, she pushed his hand away with her own and breathed with her mouth against his neck.

“S… sorry. I… bit you.” She gasped and undid the buttons of his shirt. He raised an eyebrow, but realized she was pulling away the shirt to check if she had left a mark. To calm her, he let her heal whatever tiny bruise she had made on him.

“Sakura.” He said when she finished, and she blinked at him. Not sure what he wanted to tell her, he hesitated and opted to see what _she_ would do next. She seemed just as hesitant as he felt. Her eyes scanned for something, some clue or trace of the next course of action. Awkwardly, she began buttoning up his shirt again. The sight of it felt bizarre. He could not help it – he laughed.

“W-what!” She said, sounding almost insulted. He tried to stop but it was too amusing, and it felt as if some gate had opened which he could not shut before he had emptied it of the laughter it had held back. Happy, excited energy rolled over him.

“You’re… dressing me.” He explained. Sakura stared at him. “I’d be less surprised if you punched me right now, Sakura.”

“You’re drunk.” She muttered, pouting at him.

“So are you.” He retorted, brushing the hair out of her face.

She glanced up at his hand in her hair. “You’re putting secretion into my hair.”

“Ah. So that’s what it’s called.”

Then, it was her turn to laugh. Smiling, he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her into a hug. Without hesitation, she hugged him back. Her strong arms felt reassuring, shielding him from any slowly approaching thoughts about old conversations, teams and missions. His attention returning to his own body again, he shifted and frowned at the uncomfortable way his slacks were still pressing against his groin. He was no longer fully hard, the long break letting the blood in him recede again, but it would be difficult to make it home before dealing with his own… eagerness.

“Sakura.” He whispered her name, comfortable in her embrace, but almost afraid someone else might hear him. “Would you… like to do more?” She leaned back far enough to see his front again, glancing down.

“Oh. Yeah.” She smiled, her expression one of fake innocence and mischief. “I’d love to, Sasuke-kun.” She purred, kissing his cheek and fumbling with his zipper.

Sasuke could not help but look away from her. As much as he wanted her to touch him, it seemed just too vulgar to see her do it. He felt her fingers searching for a way to pull his underwear down, and he had to grab her hand and lead her to the fold in the front that allowed men to get their dick out without undressing.

“Huh! How handy.” Sakura burst out, genuinely surprised. He held back an embarrassed frown, letting his hand fall away and leaving it to her to decide what she wanted to do to him. Finally, she wrapped her fingers around him and he bit his lip, preparing himself for the sensation of putting himself in another person’s hand for the first time. As soon as his dick hit the cold air however, she let him go, standing up in front on him instead of touching him. He stared up at her.

“What are you doing?” He asked plainly, just as she pulled her panties off and threw them to the side. She blinked, not comprehending.

“Huh?”

He looked from her to her pale undergarment on the ground next to them, slowly realizing what she had been thinking.

“Oh.” He said, dumbfounded. He turned his head away from her, attempting to regain some sort of dignified posture despite the circumstances. “Nevermind. Continue what you were doing.” To his relief, the interruption did not seem to disturb her much, as she settled back on top of him and hoisted up her skirt. Intrigued, he turned back and faced her.

Sakura looked more content than he had ever seen her, her expression catching him off-guard. She brushed his cheek with her hand, placing a small, almost chaste kiss on his lips. He relaxed again, reminding himself that he trusted her. She kissed him gently, sweetly. Feeling her so close, he slowly regained his arousal and allowed his body to give in to whatever she wanted. Calmly, she pried his mouth open and touched his tongue with her own. Sakura traced her fingers down his chest and snuck a hand under her skirt to find him. He had to catch his breath when her fingers curled around it again, this time lingering where he wanted them.

Flexing to intentionally twitch in her hand, Sasuke wanted her to take the hint that he was ready. Their eyes met, and Sakura nodded ever so slightly at him, catching his lips again as she eased down over him. The tip pressed against her slick skin first, the wet heat of it indescribably pleasant. Keeping himself busy with kissing her, he felt the walls close around him in an incredible moment of pleasure he could not compare to anything he had ever felt. Tenderly, she pulled him inside of her only to pull him back out. The feeling of it was rapidly becoming too much – he had to withdraw from her mouth and buried his flushed face in her chest to keep himself from losing his sense completely.

He wondered how on earth he was supposed to not climax instantly, as hard as he struggled to remain in control of his body it was simply _too much_ stimulation. Fingertips scratched at the rooftop under them, Sasuke resorting to pain to hold himself back. Sakura did not seem to notice, picking up the pace and pushing her hips closer to his. When she moaned just like she had with his finger inside her, he lost all remainders of his severely lacking self-control and cursed into her dress.

With no possibility of stopping he came, spilling out inside of her. She reflexively wrapped her arms around him and held him, similar to how she always did whenever he had been wounded or exhausted during a fight. He leaned into the embrace, riding out the orgasm with as much civility as he could despite his hips jerking under hers. Panting, he hugged her back and prayed she would not think of him as weak for losing it so quickly and with so little control.

“You okay?” She asked, resting her head against his. Her breathing was heavy, the sound of it almost comforting.

“Y-yeah. Sorry.” He croaked. At some point, he would have to look at her, but just for a little longer he wanted time to gather his composure. After what felt like an eternity she rose, and he fell out of her. Sasuke quickly closed his pants. They both stood up, and Sakura plucked her underwear off the ground. Sasuke watched her with sudden amusement as she stuffed them into the front of her dress.

“Gotta hide the evidence.” She shrugged, and he went to throw the empty pot of saké into a trashcan by the entrance to the roof. It looked out of place and it would be obvious that someone had a party on the school roof, but it was unlikely anyone would care to find out who. When he got back to her, Sakura took his hand.

“I’ll… walk you home?” He offered, suddenly feeling as if his cheeks might catch on fire. Sakura nodded, her smile broadening.

The streets were empty. It must be very late for even the bars to have closed. Sasuke hoped he at least had another hour until the first light of dawn, so that he had time to wash off and sneak into his room before the household began waking up.

He kissed her good-bye and reality caught up to him.

In his still inebriated state the realization they would have to go back to normal was tremendously painful. Sakura dropped his hand abruptly. Saying nothing, they exchanged a long look and Sakura had to rub her eyes to wipe away emerging tears. The fuzz from earlier evaporated, the ache in his heart washing it away for a few long, painful moments.

Finally, with his heart threatening to burst, he turned around and walked away.

 _Itachi is right – I’m a fool,_ Sasuke reprimanded himself. His relationship with Sakura felt like an explosion tag just waiting for the moment to burst into flames. He sighed, rubbing his eyes with his palms. The feeling of intoxication was far less pleasant now than it had been on the rooftop.

It was making him slightly nauseous. He wanted to go home and lie down, it would be a relief to go to sleep and forget about his troubles for a few hours. Seeing the Uchiha compound in the distance, he began walking towards home.

Despite his other senses being dulled by the drink, his eyes were as reliable as always. Trying to choose between getting in through his bedroom window and the proper entrance to their home, he felt a hand tap his shoulder. The presence was sudden, but it was instantly familiar.

“Brother.” He looked behind him, where his brother stood in his ANBU gear. Itachi observed him with a blank expression, as hard to read as ever. His sharp eyes betrayed a hint of amusement, however.

“You’re home late.” Itachi commented, stating the obvious. There was no point in making excuses: in his entire life Sasuke had never once gotten away with lying to him.

“Yeah. It went on for hours.” He tried, not considering it untrue. The party _had_ gone on until quite late.

“I assume Sakura-chan enjoyed her birthday, then. I’m glad.” Itachi mused, gesturing for them to walk the rest of the short way home together. Sasuke frowned, wondering how quickly he had seen through him this time. _Whatever_ , if anyone was to know about her it was Itachi. He may be a workaholic and secret consumer of embarrassing literature, but Sasuke trusted him with anything.

“I walked her home.” He admitted. Sasuke could feel his brother looking at him.

“I hope so. I expect you were very gentlemanly.” Itachi’s voice was as cool as ever, but Sasuke could tell he was teasing him behind the façade of neutrality. He felt his face heat back up, the walk home had finally managed to cool him down but apparently it was destiny that his face should remain treacherously red tonight.

“… Don’t tell father. Or mother, for that matter.” He sighed as they walked through the door. At least, the house was quiet and dark.

“You have my word.” They took off their shoes in silence, but before they separated to go into their separate rooms Itachi dropped another comment; “You should wash your clothes yourself. Mother will worry if she notices they smell like liquor and perfume.”

Sasuke was just about to close his door behind him when he changed his mind and stepped back out into the hallway.

“Hey, Itachi?” 

He stalked over to his brother’s room, watching him taking off his armor pieces and putting them away. The ache in his heart continued to plague him. A long night of being vulnerable and revealing embarrassing secrets along with the lingering influence of the sake made him want to open up again, to take the chance to express himself once more before the night ended and everything would go back to normal.

“We’re not together.” The words strained his throat and he hated to seem so weak, but Itachi reacted with nothing but kindness. His face softened, revealing the gentle brother Sasuke loved so much.

“I understand. Did you want to be?”

“Yeah.” Sasuke answered, tucking his hands into his pockets. His eyes burned alarmingly, remembering the tears Sakura had wiped away just as they separated. He was sick of seeing her cry. Itachi got up, reaching out and poking Sasuke’s forehead.

“Let me know if I can help you, Sasuke.”


	3. A leap in the right direction

Sasuke considered himself lucky. There was just enough time to shower, hand-wash and hang the outfit his mother had given him up to dry before the first sunlight began penetrating the windows to their home. Wearing a clean set of sleepwear, he shut his door behind him and crawled into bed to get whatever rest he could.

Sleep soon clouded his brain, bringing him into a nonexistent world where life was less complicated.

When he woke up, he felt better. Expecting a hangover, he was pleased to determine that his body was acting very close to normal. His head hurt and his joints were sore, but it was no worse than how he might be the day after training to exhaustion. Even the nausea was gone.

Getting thirsty, he sat up and did his normal routine of stretches before making his bed. He grew hungry while dressing, silently thanking his gut for showing him the kindness of functioning as normal despite him essentially filling it with poison the night before. If he had been sick today it would have been very difficult to pretend that Sakura’s birthday party had remained an innocent dinner with their comrades.

Opening his door and walking down the halls, he could hear his mother doing dishes in the kitchen.

“Good morning.” He greeted her and sat down at the table, grabbing todays newspaper from his father’s seat. Fugaku was just about always the first to leave the household in the morning. He was also the only one with regular working hours, not counting his wife who changed her routine to whatever suited the family. She placed a cup of green tea next to Sasuke and he nodded in thanks.

“Have you slept well? How was the party?” She asked him in her usual, interested tone. He leaned his chin against his fist and scanned the first page of the newspaper.

“Everyone had a good time. Tsunade even made an appearance.” Sasuke answered, distracted by a headline about an armed robbery. He saw no harm in telling his family about last night, so long as he extracted the parts that would get him in trouble.

“Tsunade-sama? Really?” His mother sounded very curious now. She scooped rice into a bowl for him and sprinkled furikake over it.

“Mhm. She wanted to congratulate her disciple.” The article told him some old woman had been out for a walk when some drunk had attacked her in an alley, but a patrolling police officer had swept in and put a stop to it before she got hurt. The article praised the police with vigor and Sasuke felt a small pang of pride over his clan’s work.

“Hmm… I heard rumors that Sakura-chan has surpassed her. Is it true?” Mikoto served the rice, along with plates of grilled salmon and steamed vegetables.

“Thanks. Yeah, pretty much.” He stated. She had been last of their trio to reach Jounin rank but her classification had different standards. Medical ninja had to not only have all the basic requirements for Jounin status, but also perfect their healing to reach the higher ranks.

“She’s very impressive then.” Mikoto said and sat down across the table with with a cup of coffee. She smiled at her son. “Would you mind if I invite her over some time? I’d love to get a chance to talk to such an accomplished kunoichi.”

Sasuke swallowed, careful not to choke on his salmon or let his face betray him. He was not sure if his mother suspected anything. She had a keen eye for how others’ felt, but she had only seen him interact with his teammates a handful of times.

“You would?” He asked, struggling to come up with words that would lead her away from the topic. Even if she meant it completely innocently, inviting Sakura over to socialize with his family would be… problematic. Especially in front of his father it might paint an overly intimate image of their relationship to each other. Watching her face, he recalled that even if he had only ever known her as his mother she had once been a jounin before marrying his father. Something clicked. “Mother, do you miss being a ninja?”

Her smile remained warm, but a flicker of sadness did seem to pass through her eyes. “I suppose I do. I live a very happy life, Sasuke, but I can’t help but feel inspired by women who put their everything into their carriers.” She sighed softly, sipping her coffee. “I don’t regret my decisions, but when you and Itachi find spouses I might be tempted to pick up something new and interesting to devote my time to.”

“But… why did you ever stop? I’ve never seen father deny you anything you wanted, if you had demanded it I’m sure he would never have insisted on you giving up your job.” Sasuke pondered and his mother’s eyes met his.

“It was expected of me. There are many duties as a matriarch of our clan, continuing as a shinobi would distract me and put me in danger. Fugaku-san gave up taking missions outside the village, too.”

He furrowed his brows. They had never mentioned that before. Sasuke found it hard to imagine him outside the village walls, but naturally he must have spent plenty of time out before and during the war.

“You certainly are curious today. Would you like your future wife to remain a working woman?” Mikoto asked, as casually as if telling him the weather. He stared at her.

“I hadn’t thought that far.” He admitted. Even without thinking too carefully about it, he knew there was no way Sakura would quit medicine. Last time they made the mistake of asking her about what she was doing in the laboratory she had babbled about some idea she had for a jutsu to target and kill cancer cells for over twenty minutes. Naruto had gotten a headache and Sasuke could just barely keep up with all the information she dumped on them. Considering it, he realized he did not want to marry a woman who had no big ambitions for herself. He had always been driven by his own goals, relating to someone who wanted nothing in particular would probably be too difficult. A wife without a backbone who tried too hard to please him would also be annoying in the long run. “I guess I’d just want her to have the guts to do as she pleased with her life.” He summarized his answer.

“That so.” His mother gazed at him lovingly, making him uncomfortable as it reminded him too much of how he had seen her look at small children or the cat. “It’s no wonder you’re popular. Things like that coming from a man never fails to make a girl happy.”

He frowned, not appreciating the reminder. “It’s annoying.”

“Can’t be helped it seems, you’ve always been a handsome boy.”

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek, scowling. Unbidden, he remembered Sakura telling him the same thing on the rooftop. _‘It’s nothing. You’re just handsome.’_ The compliment had been far better coming from her… all mothers thought their children were the prettiest people in the world. She even said she loved the lines on Itachi’s face. Mikoto’s eyes scanned his features, and lingered on his hair, her smile fading. “But I do wish you would let me cut your hair for once, instead of insisting to continue chopping it up with a kunai like a savage.”

Pouting at her, he sipped his tea and tried not to get irritated. “Who cares about my hair? As long as it’s not in the way I couldn’t care less about it.”

Mikoto sighed and shook her head. “I never should have let you to begin with. I should have just ignored your crying and forced you to accept my scissors.”

He scowled. “I did not cry.”

“You did. Loud enough to make my ears ring.”

“… I was just a kid.”

“And a little bit too spoiled, thanks to your brother.”

He pretended that his breakfast suddenly became very interesting and continued eating and reading the news while ignoring the victorious look on her face. Just as the clock on the wall struck nine and Sasuke swallowed the last piece of rice, he heard the main entry door open. Half a minute later Fugaku stepped inside the kitchen.

“Ah, Sasuke. Good timing.” He sat down at the end of the table facing the part of the kitchen. Mikoto poured him a cup of coffee, serving it to her husband with a gentle touch on his shoulder and a small kiss on his temple. Fugaku nodded gratefully. “I just finished a meeting at the station. We were discussing this year’s recruitment.”

Sasuke closed the paper and watched his father carefully. Fugaku drank his coffee, taking his time and making Sasuke wait quietly for him to speak. After a painfully long silence, he finally put the cup down and cleared his throat. “I put your name on the list. I want you to be my new deputy, but you will without doubt climb the ranks quickly considering your skills.”

Although he did not look at his son his father smiled ever so slightly. Sasuke returned the expression and bowed his head politely. “Thank you, father. I’ve been looking forward to joining the force.”

“I’ll inform you later about what you’re expected to do before being introduced to the workplace. I’ve spoken to the Hokage and he has agreed to let you leave your shinobi duties behind after your birthday.”

Sasuke tipped his head. “So, in about four months.”

“Precisely. Should be plenty of time to prepare.” Fugaku finished his drink and got up, patting Sasuke on the back and leaving his cup in the sink. “I should return to work. I just needed to pick up some paperwork from my study.” As soon as he left, Sasuke got up too.

“I’m heading out. I need to go see my team.” He told his mother, handing her his dishes too.

“Take care.” She reminded him, unnecessarily.

Walking through the streets of the compound in the morning sun he felt lighter than in a long time. The team finally got its expiration date set. He had known from the start that they would not always be working together, his ambition of working for the Police had taken shape before he became a genin after all. That did not mean he would not miss them. They had worked together so closely since they were little, and as much as he hated to use Naruto’s words to describe serious situations – they really had been on many adventures together.

Four months was not a lot of time, but he assumed they would still be sent on at least one or two more missions during that time, unless Kakashi wanted to keep them in the village intentionally. Since he took over after Tsunade he had spent more time trying to work his way out of the office than using it to push for any political changes, which frankly annoyed Sasuke. What was the point of power if you did not use it?

The team meant a lot to him, but he did not see himself running around the world with Naruto and Sakura forever. _There’s more I need to do,_ he thought, knocking on Sakura’s door.

She greeted him wearing a fluffy morning robe, her eyes slightly red and swollen. Sasuke hoped it was just tiredness… that she had not stayed up crying after he left her.

“I have news.” He stated bluntly. She looked him up and down but let him step inside her apartment. He peeled off his shoes and followed her to her combined study-living-and-bedroom. It had done her good to move out from her parents’ place. Sakura’s own apartment was spacious, and she kept it neat, a simple yet relaxing space of only one room and kitchen with the bath and toilet separated.

Sakura sat down in her couch, while he opted to stand by her bookshelf with his hands in his pockets. He suspected she had still been sleeping when he knocked on her door, her hair still tangled and not as shiny as he was used to seeing it. Honestly, he quite liked seeing her like this. She had been in all kinds of states around him and Naruto, but it was more fun now that it was just the two of them and not in the middle of a mission. She seemed to notice him looking and gave him an uncertain glance. He cleared his throat and quit staring.

“What is it, Sasuke-kun?” She asked, hesitantly.

He closed his eyes and tried to look a bit more relaxed. Still, it was a struggle not to smile. “I’m joining the police soon.”

Sakura gasped, suddenly very excited. “Really? That’s great!”

“Hn.” He agreed, glancing down at her. She really did look excited about it, more than he expected.

“We will disband.” She mumbled, and he nodded. “It’s good though, that you’ll finally get to do what you want. I’m a little bit surprised it did not happen sooner to be honest.”

He kept gazing at her, his expression growing softer the longer he did. He wondered if she was thinking the same as he was. “Sakura. Last night… I don’t regret it…” Sasuke started, and she turned her reddening face towards him, realizing what he wanted to say before he tried to.

“Me neither. But… I wonder what we should do next.” Sakura smoothed out the robe across her knees, gazing into her lap. Sasuke pulled his hands out of his pockets and leaned harder against the bookshelf. The hard wood dug into his hip.

“Does that matter at this point?” Sasuke asked. “We probably should do nothing, but we’ve already tried that. We still need to solve the issue of figuring out what we want, not just what we should be doing.” … _And I told Itachi I want to be with her_ , he thought, saying nothing about that part.

“You mean… would you like to try… being more than friends and see what happens?” She tilted her head, and once more he nodded, slower this time. She slapped both sides of her face without warning. Sasuke blinked at the sudden movement and she giggled sweetly, saying: “Sorry, had to check I wasn’t dreaming there.”

Keeping his eyes on her, he sat down on the couch next to her. Sitting sideways with her knees touching his, she blinked at him and kept smiling. He was certain they must both look like idiots. He did not have it in him to care.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did. “I’m… happy. Our team will be broken up and I’m so happy I think my heart might burst.”

“Don’t let it. I don’t know how to help you with that.” He quipped coolly. Sakura sneered, pretending to bump his chest with her fist in retort. Her hand settled over his heart and he felt it jump at the touch. They stopped talking, her other hand reaching for him and playing with his bangs for a moment. Smirking at her, he caught the hand in his own and pushed her onto her back.

The plush sofa gave little resistance underneath her, her backside sinking into it. Playfully, he pinned her down. She smiled back defiantly, lifting herself up with ease, high enough to tap her nose against his. That close to his, her eyes looked massive. She went in for a second bump of the nose, but he parried her with his cheek and made her snort indignantly when she got mushed into the side of his face.

Quick and forceful, he used the opening to push her further into the cushions and bite at the side of her neck. She kicked and fought back feebly as she laughed. The feigned resistance to his attacks amusing him as much as her girly giggles. He nipped her skin and left a tiny bruise in retaliation for the bitemark she had made on him during the night. When he pulled back, he caught the wide grin on her face and felt his own mouth curl into a smile of his own even as he leaned in to press it against hers.

Somehow, today she was more intoxicating than sake, filling his head within a moment. Greedily, selfishly, he kissed her and felt as if he was losing his mind when she kissed him back. Under him, she arched her back and her belly brushed against his. Her hands moved between them, tugging at his shirt. Happy to oblige, he threw it off but abruptly paused when he saw she had opened her morning robe while he was too busy with her mouth to notice. Wide-eyed and slack-jawed, his mind blanked out. Apparently, Sakura wore nothing underneath.

Awestruck, he traced her pale skin with his fingertips. Even for a kunoichi, she was very toned. Her soft breasts fell towards the sides, her nipples the same pink color as her lips. He remembered brushing over one of them through her dress the night before and wondered if she would like it if he touched them now. He exchanged a look with her then he softly circled the left one with two fingers. It hardened under his touch and Sakura shivered.

With a strong push forward, she got him off her. He wanted to ask her if she always slept naked, but she spoke before he could untie his tongue.

“Come on.” She demanded, grabbing his hand and pulling him by the hand towards her bed. She threw herself onto her back and pulled him down with her. Her eagerness and confidence eliminated his hesitation, he almost felt like it no longer mattered what the hell he did with her so long as he just did _something_. Tipping his head down he took a pink nipple between his lips and pressed the tip of his tongue against it. He felt hands at the back his head, fingers grabbing at his hair encouragingly.

Her skin was lovely in his mouth, soft and sensitive as it was. Sasuke held himself up on his knees and hands, but allowed his legs and hips to sink towards her until he felt Sakura’s warm body pressed to his. Not allowing himself to get distracted, he still relished the feeling of getting to grind up against her.

But he was suddenly interrupted by those hands at the back of his head pulling at him, forcing his face up against hers. He felt his head smack against her jaw on the way up, but she did not seem to even register it. Out of breath and red like a tomato, she bit her lip and whispered for him not to tease her.

It was almost dizzying. Her hands left his head and went to the front of his pants, opening the zipper and pulling them down as far as she could reach. Trying to be helpful, he sat up enough to get them off.

Flat on her back, she breathed slowly and stared at him. Sasuke kneeled between her legs and spread them gently with his hands, glancing down as he did. When he saw what he had gotten to explore with his hand the night before, he bit his lip. It was far pinker than he had imagined. Soft-looking, strangely inviting and colored different shades of dark pink. Perhaps it was due to the way he was slowly drowning in his feelings for her but somehow it just seemed… cute.

He leaned forward, supporting himself on one arm to hover over her and used the other one to guide himself towards where he could penetrate her. His tip against her slick skin felt even better than it had the night before, now that he was sober, and she seemed to appreciate the sensation just as much. Sakura squirmed under him.

“It won’t hurt?” He whispered, more to buy himself some time than being worried for her.

“No… I’m already plenty… uhm. Prepared.” She muttered, suddenly looking away from him and blushing. He eyed her suspiciously. _That was a weird way to put it._ Then he sniggered, putting the pieces together and earning an angry glare. “Sakura, don’t tell me you were…”

She slapped her hands against her face, hiding behind them. “OH, SHUT UP!”

“Hahahaha!” His stomach clenched, and he clutched a handful of her covers in the hand he had kept on himself to steady himself against the tidal wave of laughter that came over him. She let out a pained, groaning noise and tried to roll away from him, but he stopped her from escaping. Trying to choke down the laughter he put his face against her neck and rubbed his nose against her. “That explains the robe.”

Sasuke lifted his head from her neck and saw her peek out from behind her hands. For a moment, he was tempted to ask her which one she had been using, but decided it might be wiser to abstain from that. Instead, he pushed through the gap between her hands with his face. One last second of laughing escaped him despite his best effort to hold it back, and Sakura bit his lip angrily.

“Not the kind of teasing you were referring to?” He chuckled. Sakura pouted. She did not look truly angry however, reassured by how she grabbed and tugged at him. Planting a few kisses on her throat, he ran his dick along the wetness between her legs. In momentary impulsivity, he rubbed his tip against her nub and bit her neck when she seemed to enjoy it.

“Naruto’s right, you’re a jerk.” Sakura said, wrapping her arms around him and trying to lead him by moving her hips around.

“Don’t talk about Naruto, you’ll make me soft.” Sasuke muttered back, sabotaging her attempts at getting him inside of her with counteractive movements of his own.

“I doubt it.” She retorted, apparently not wrong. The tip of his dick hit her thigh and, sensing danger, Sasuke stopped thwarting her movements to stay still for her. As he felt his tip entering her, she gasped victoriously. Whatever madness he had held off up until now came over him in full force. She was so damn cute and felt so good around him that he did not know what to do with himself.

“Fuck, Sakura.” He whispered and pushed into her. To avoid loss of control, Sasuke pulled back before he had gotten everything in, pushing again and pulling back as soon as he thought he had gone further than before. Sakura seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. Her mouth fell open and nails scratched against his back where she clung to him. It was easier not to be overwhelmed this way, and that sweet moment of being enveloped by her warm walls was one he wanted to stay in forever if he could. Sasuke pushed and pulled, drawing her towards him with his arms while his hips worked her into the mattress. Sakura pressed her forehead against his shoulder.

“I love you too, you jerk.” She whimpered, her voice breaking at the very last moment. He smiled. Picking up the pace, he ran out of any more length to give her. There was something deliciously vulgar about driving so much of himself into her that his hips hit hers, the skin surrounding the base of his cock touching the skin around her pink little opening. When he pulled back and drove back into her, a small slapping noise followed. One of her hands slipped into his hair and pulled at it. Unwarranted, he suddenly remembered his mother’s comment about him chopping it up like a ‘savage’ and nearly stopped moving. With all the willpower he could muster he threw the stupid, intrusive thought away and pushed down harder to hopefully pull a noise out of Sakura to force his brain back on topic.

Her face was scrunched up in concentration, too. Considering the clitoris, he wondered if she could come without it. She had certainly enjoyed his fingers curling inside her, but it was only when he gave some attention to that bundle of nerves that she had gotten over the edge. Sasuke adjusted his position, putting his weight on his left arm so he could reach down with his right and put his fingers over the thing, gently massaging it while he continued to move in and out of her. That was apparently too much for her.

Gasping for air and digging her nails into his back, her legs twitched, and her torso went rigid. Sakura begged him to continue – through sharp exhales and strained inhales she pushed out desperate little words of encouragement. Sasuke drank it in, unable to look away from her.

Her back arched and he had to push down and hold her still while waves of tension ran through her body. Staring at her, flabbergasted and fascinated, he almost wanted to comfort her… it looked so intense.

Their eyes met as she opened hers and he shot her a questioning look. She swallowed and tenderly stroked his neck with the pads of her fingers. A slight chill ran down his spine at the touch. Thrusting slowly, he was far gentler than before. Her eyes were open now, watching him as if through a cloud of satisfaction and affection. Sasuke did not look away from those eyes… her beautiful green eyes. It occurred to him how erotic it felt to be maintaining the eye-contact while penetrating her, and he immediately felt it rile him up. Holding her gaze like that, hips moving faster, the intensity of his pleasure picked up. He bit his lower lip, part of him wanting to hold back just to be able to continue for longer, but Sakura stopped him. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she pushed him closer to her.

“Don’t hold back.” She whispered, kissing the lip he was biting. _It’s like she can read my mind sometimes._ Either that, or she could just get him pretty well after eight years of close teamwork. No matter the source of her understanding for his thoughts, he appreciated the request. Letting go of his thoughts about lasting he moved the way his instincts were telling him to. Pushing as far as he could into her, pulling back just a little and then pushing back in. Her reaction certainly spurred him on, she gasped and exclaimed “Aa, deep…!”. Releasing her grip around his back she fell back against the mattress, grabbing fistfuls of the sheets and pulling at them to ground herself while he kept it up. Seeing her so overwhelmed made his head swim and he involuntarily pushed faster. That feeling of _too much_ came over him again. When he could hold on no longer, his entire body tensed up, automatically freezing him in place before slightly shaking as he fell over the edge.

Seeing nothing, unable to think or even process what was happening he slipped out at the last second by accident. He spilled over all the same, his seed wet on her thigh and staining her sheets. When the peak passed and he began coming back down to earth, he leaned down to rest against Sakura. She did not seem to mind his weight, stroking his back and kissing his neck affectionately.

“I don’t think I want to be your friend again.” She muttered, and he could not help but to agree. Sasuke leaned heavily on his arms to hold himself over her head where he could kiss her, and be kissed by her. He knew they probably needed to get up, but he was reluctant to let the moment end.

“Have you eaten?” He asked her while picking his clothes off the floor.

She got up too and went to rummage in her closet. “No, but it’s fine. I need to wash up and change the sheets.”

“I’ll make you something.” He replied, watching her as he got dressed. Sakura doing something so mundane as making her bed while completely naked was an interesting sight. Once she disappeared into her bathroom, clutching the dirty sheets in her arms, he walked into her kitchen and opened the fridge. Every single shelf was covered in vegetables and fruit, except a single six-pack of eggs crammed into a corner of the top shelf.

 _What the hell?_ He felt his eye twitch. _Why does she have nothing but vegetables?_ He took the eggs and a head of broccoli, frying it in some oil and a spice-mix that smelled of pepper and a mixture of herbs he did not recognize. Rummaging through the freezer, he found a half-empty pack of sliced bread for toasting. By the time he was looking for where she kept her tea, she came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel.

“Wow!” She peeked at the plate. “Thank you, that looks delicious.”

“What’s with the fridge?” He asked, still peeved. She scratched her cheek and giggled nervously.

“Oh, my mom got it in her head that I don’t eat right so she insists on giving me stuff from the market. I keep telling her I can’t eat all of it, but she insists I should.” She said with a shrug, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sasuke frowned at her, setting the plate on the table. “Shouldn’t medic-nins know that you need a balanced diet to stay fit… you don’t even have any proper protein.”

Sakura sighed “I get a lot of take-out, and they have these really great nutritional drinks at the hospital. What about you - do you want anything?” She opened a cabinet he had yet to check and set to boiling water and sprinkling black tea leaves into a pot. He sat down at the table, not answering.

“Aren’t you going to get dressed?” Sasuke leaned on his hand with his elbow against the table, finding it interesting how comfortable she seemed. Sakura looked down, blushed, and touched the towel over her chest for a second.

“I… thought you might like it if I stayed like this for a little bit. But I guess I should.” She left the tea to brew and walked back to her room. When she returned in her usual gear, he watched her eat and sipped his cup of the much too strong black tea.

By the time they left her apartment, it was almost noon. Time passed quickly around her, Sasuke noted. Fortunately Naruto was home. When he opened the door for them he was still half-asleep and looking significantly worse for wear than even Sakura did. In a white t-shirt and boxershorts, he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

“Huh? What are you guys doing here?” Naruto blinked at them.

“Let us in.” Sasuke demanded shortly, pushing past Naruto into the apartment. It was less messy than he could ever remember it being - there was just a single bag of trash left in the hallway! _Looks like Hinata is a good influence._ He noted, pulling off his shoes. Naruto did not complain, throwing on a pair of sweatpants and drowsily sitting with his legs crossed on his bed.

“What’s up?” He did not seem unhappy with having them there. On the contrary, as he seemed to wake up his usual happy face replaced the tired expression. Sasuke took a seat at his table.

“Naruto… this thing smells _disgusting_. I’m throwing it, where is your garbage disposal?” Sakura interrupted, holding her nose and grabbing the bag of trash off the floor.

“Oh, uh it’s down in the alley to the right. Thanks, Sakura-chan.” Naruto grinned, shameless as ever about his bad habits. Sakura nodded, looking nauseous, and exited through the door. Naruto eyed Sasuke as if he were inspecting him.

“What?” He growled. Naruto may be his best friend but he still disliked the look on his face. Naruto stood up, getting closer and sniffing the air around Sasuke who tensed, glaring at him. Leaning close to his ear, Naruto held a hand by his mouth as if to make sure nobody else heard and whispered;

“Dude, wanna use the shower?”

Sasuke blinked, his face turning red at the insult. Naruto regularly housed rotting bags of trash and he thought _he_ smelled bad? Had Sakura noticed it, too or was this due to him being a sensory type?

“What do you mean?” He muttered.

“Well you… uh… you smell like you’ve done something.” Naruto continued, not sounding entirely unkind. He scratched the back of his head, grinning while looking at Sasuke with an unusually gentle look in his eyes. “Tends to linger. First time I had Hinata over I could still smell it hours later because it didn’t occur to me to wash off.”

Sasuke’s mind blanked out. Wide-eyed, he stared at his friend with his mouth slightly open. It had not even occurred to him that was a thing he needed to consider. Admittingly scent was not the strongest of his senses - his nose was not nearly as sensitive as Naruto’s. Red faced, he looked away and put his hand over his eyes in shame.

“What about my clothing?”

“They kinda smell, too, yeah.”

“...”

“You could borrow something from me.”

“And how do I explain walking around in your clothes?”

“I could spill something on you? Then you could blame me for having to change.”

“Fine.”

Questioning what was happening to his life, he let Naruto pour milk straight from the package onto his stomach and pants. It was cold and he frowned in disgust. Getting up, he refused to look Naruto in the eye as he stepped towards his bathroom. With his hand on the doorhandle, he felt Naruto dunk a hand against his back and shuddered.

“Hahaha! It’s about time though! I bet Sakura’s real happy!” Naruto laughed. If he was not relying on his assistance Sasuke would have punched him. While he undressed, Naruto opened the door and gave him a towel and a set of clothes. None of it was folded. Sasuke dug through them and threw the turquoise briefs in the pile back at Naruto’s head. “I am not wearing your underwear.”

“Fine, but you don’t have to be a dick about it.” Naruto complained, slamming the door behind him. Sasuke heard Sakura come back inside, receiving their improvised excuse and scolding Naruto for being so clumsy. Quietly, Sasuke felt his angry embarrassment give way for a small amount of gratitude.

He stepped into the shower and stared down the single, solid bar of soap available. Naruto’s soap. That he probably washed _everything_ with. Cringing, he had no choice but to accept his situation. He turned on the water and promptly refused to look directly at the damned soap. By the time he finished he somehow felt dirtier than before.

When he was clean and rubbing his neck with the towel, he caught a glimpse of himself in Naruto’s bathroom mirror. He frowned, looking at the black mess on his head and wondering if his mother had a point. He had never cared about his looks. It was a waste of time to fuss over things that did not matter or impact his skills, and he felt uncomfortable when Mikoto tried to doll him up. It seemed undignified, somehow. Putting on clothes to suit an occasion was one thing – it served a purpose to be in control of how much you stood out or blended in, but it seemed silly to bother trying to look good for no particular reason.

Still, he pulled a hand through his hair and pulled it back over his head. It was still wet enough to stick like that, slicked back and leaving his face bare. Sasuke frowned at himself in the mirror. It did not look too bad, actually. Nor was it uncomfortable to have nothing brushing against his face the way his bangs always did. Shrugging his shoulders he left it like that and went to pull on his boxers.

He paused, wondering if it would defeat the purpose of the shower to put them back on. Quickly, he took a whiff of them and decided that Naruto had a point about the scent. Instead he skipped them and just pulled on the long grey pants and slightly too tight tank-top Naruto had offered and made a tight bundle out of his own clothes, tying it carefully so the Uchiwa on the back of his shirt faced outwards.

Sakura sat at the table, looking out the window with bored eyes. Sasuke left the bundle of clothes by his shoes and sat opposite to her. She gave him a quick look and her cheeks turned slightly pinker. Ignoring her, he gave Naruto a look.

“Right then. You guys are welcome whenever you want, but you could tell me why you both showed up all of a sudden.”

Sasuke leaned back against the back of the chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

“My father has recruited me to the Police Force. I intend to join sometime around the end of July.” He explained, simple and blunt. Naruto furrowed his brows, looking significantly more upset than Sakura had when he told her.

“So that means… our team is disbanding in July?”

“Yes. I’m sure Kakashi is already aware. My father would not make me unavailable for shinobi work without the Hokage’s permission.”

“Man… I’m still not used to thinking of sensei as the Hokage. But… I guess that makes sense.” Naruto frowned, looking down at the tabletop between them. “I’ve been wondering what to do without you guys and I can’t say I like it. I’m not going to stop working as a ninja.”

Sasuke nodded. He had expected as much.

Sakura shifted in her seat before she spoke. “Soon enough I won’t be taking missions for a while, either. I’ve finally secured funding for researching my idea for chakratherapy and the oncology department at the hospital have given me their support. Even Tsunade-sama is curious enough to help out, even though she’s retired.”

Sasuke side-eyed her. She had mentioned nothing about that before.

“Sakura-chan… that was a lot of complicated words but… you’re leaving the team, too?” Naruto whined, and she gave him an apologetic smile.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

“No worries, it’s your dream, right?” Naruto grinned, although there was no doubt he was less happy about it than he let on. Sasuke closed his eyes, sorry to see him like that.

“We’ll probably have at least one more mission before that. We have time to get used to the idea.” He said, and Naruto took it as he had hoped he would. When Sasuke looked back at him he seemed to be in better spirits again.

“Yeah… Hey, do both of you have the day off today? Wanna go train together?” Naruto offered, smiling more sincerely than before.

Sparring felt as natural as ever.

Sakura and Sasuke did not go easy on each other – nor did Naruto on either of them. Bruised and sweaty his muscles burned pleasantly from the exercise when they finished. On Naruto’s demand, they went to grab dinner at Ichiraku’s. It was a busy day for the street-vendor, the bar was already full when they arrived. Naruto ordered for them and they took a table instead. It had yet to grow dark, but the sun was approaching the upper rim of the walls surrounding the village. Shadows were long and dark, in stark contrast to where the sun’s rays still hit. 

Sasuke and Sakura sat next to each other, their backs against the street. Naruto and she kept the conversation going, Sasuke letting them blabber on. Even if he was not very interested in the topics they discussed it was nice enough to just listen to them talk. The sun kept creeping lower in the sky and when their bowls were empty he felt Sakura’s hand slip into his between their chairs, under the table where Naruto could not see it.

“Anyway, if we only get one last mission together; what would you want it to be?” Sakura asked them both.

“Hmmm… Something really high ranking and interesting. I’d like to go out with a bang!” Naruto answered, finishing up his fourth bowl and setting it aside. He crossed his arms on the tabletop and looked intently at her. “What about you, Sakura-chan?”

“Hard to say. Maybe nothing S-Class. I just want to have fun and get home with neither of you nearly dying.” She pondered.

Naruto looked skeptical. “You’re one to talk. Less than six months ago you almost croaked from that Super-Grandma’s mega-poison in the Hidden Sand.”

“Hey, Sasuke-san. That’s you, right?” A male, vaguely familiar voice came from behind him and interrupted Naruto. Automatically he let go of Sakura’s hand. A quick thought of how it was unlikely holding it had gone unseen passed through his brain while he turned around. Inabi Uchiha came walking up to them. He wore his full police uniform and did not smile, although there was nothing hostile about his approach. “I thought I recognized you, what’s with the empty back?”

 _He must mean that I have no Uchiwa on this tank._ Sasuke thought, holding up the bundle of his own clothing so Inabi could see it.

“There was an incident involving an idiot and a carton of milk. I’ll take care of it when I get home.” He explained casually. Inabi eyed the bundle quietly.

“I wanted to congratulate you. We look forward to welcoming you to the team.” Inabi said, stopping by their table and nodding politely to Naruto and Sakura.

Sasuke bowed his head in turn. “And I look forward to working with you.” He may outrank him in the clan hierarchy, but Inabi was his elder and would be his senior within the Police Force as well. Expressing some proper manners seemed appropriate.

“Hmpf. With your father, you mean.” Inabi scoffed, but then he cracked a smile. “Don’t tell him I told you this but he’s proud as hell of you, he won’t shut up about how great an officer you will be.”

Surprised, Sasuke leaned forward with his hands on the tabletop and nearly gaped at his clansman. “He does…? He never praises me for anything.”

“Hah, that does sound like Fugaku-san. Quiet and stoic to your face but a huge softy when he lets his guard down.” Inabi shook his head and raised a hand. “I’m gonna have to continue my patrol now. Good evening to you lot.”

Sasuke watched him continue down the street, his mind on his father. Their relationship had bettered the more Sasuke honed his skills, though it still seemed like there were some gaps between them no even strength could bridge. The desperation to be good enough for his family had pushed him beyond his limits countless of times, and yet it had not entirely changed their father’s treatment of his two sons. Itachi was still his heir and first priority. That much was clear.

Itachi was an ideal heir to a clan like theirs. Reliable, powerful and with a spotless reputation these days. Even when he openly went against the Elder’s advice they let him off the hook without so much as a dent to his respect within the clan – and their father was no different. When rumors had spread about the Uchiha Elders wanting to arrange a marriage for him, he had bluntly refused without explanation of why. From anyone else it would have been considered a slight to not humbly express why you would ignore their advice, but as far as anyone knew the matter was dropped almost immediately and the rumors surrounding the issue vanished suspiciously soon, too. Sasuke had his suspicions as to the reason for the refusal but not even he knew for sure. It was expected of both of them to continue the bloodline one day and being almost twenty-five Itachi was at a prime age to do so.

He must have shown he was thinking about something troublesome, since Sakura nudged him with her elbow and broke him out of it.

“I’ve gotta go home, Sasuke-kun. I have an early morning tomorrow.” She said. He nodded.

“Aa. I’ll be heading home, too.” He found her hand on her lap and brushed his fingertips over it, a gesture to silently apologize for dropping it when Inabi came by.

“Thanks for dinner, guys. Guess I’ll go too, I want to practice a new jutsu tomorrow.”

“Another one? Promise to show me when you’ve mastered it!” Sakura said with a smile, making Naruto grin widely.

“Of course I will! Believe it!”

They waved good-bye and went their separate ways. Sasuke sighed. It had been a good day. Good news, a nice training session and a heart-racing time with Sakura. He rolled his shoulders and let his guard down enough to feel happy about it and letting it show as he entered the compound.

Their home was warm and bright tonight. He heard people talking in the living room, but not feeling keen to repeat his and Naruto’s lie regarding showing up in borrowed clothing he had his bath first and put the clothes from the bundle in the washing machine, thinking to spare his mother’s nose from having to smell the suspicious mixture of souring milk and sex. In some decent sweatpants and a t-shirt with an Uchiwa on it he felt comfortable joining his family in the kitchen.

Itachi and Fugaku both sat at the table in the middle of the room with a long scroll rolled out between them. They did not look up at him when he entered but also did not protest to him sitting down with them. Glancing between them, he thought it strange of them to be sitting so quietly and wondered if they had stopped talking because of him. After a painfully long silence, his father opened his mouth to speak.

“I won’t force you, son. There is no rush.”

Itachi bowed his head and closed his eyes, respectfully folding his hands over his lap. “Thank you, father.”

Politely, intentionally not looking at the contents of the scroll, he asked: “May I ask what this is about?”

Itachi turned his head, opening his eyes and meeting Sasuke’s gently.

“The council wants to know if I intend to announce a fiancée in the near future.” He looked perfectly neutral, although Sasuke thought there was no need for it.

“At least they aren’t trying to arrange it for you this time.” Sasuke replied, giving his brother a small smirk. Itachi’s soft features did not move, but he did nod.

“Hm. It is an improvement, I suppose.” Itachi got to his feet, lingering by the table and staring down at Sasuke. “I have work tonight. If you’ll excuse me.”

Sasuke jumped up and followed his brother out, leaving their father sitting by himself with the scroll. “Wait, if you have a few minutes I’d like to talk to you.”

“What is it, Sasuke?” Itachi did not stop walking towards his room but he did seem to listen.

Hurrying to catch up, he took his place by his brother’s side before he answered. “Father is finally letting me join the force. He told me just this morning.”

Nerveless and almost cold, Itachi stared onwards down the hallway.

“I see. And you are happy about this?”

“Of course. I’ve wanted this for a decade.” Sasuke eyed his brother, wishing he would pay a little closer attention. Some childish part of him wanted to provoke him to get back at him. “Oi, why are you refusing to get married, anyway? Even if you don’t love anyone there must be someone who would make a decent wife for you.”

They were in the outdoors corridor, the garden beautiful and welcoming in the setting sun behind them when Itachi stopped dead in his tracks. He kept his eyes on the floor, and for once his face betrayed that he was thinking carefully about something so clearly that even if Sasuke had not known him his entire life he would have been able to see that much.

“I suppose I have kept it secret for too long.” Itachi said softly, and Sasuke held his breath, shocked he might actually get an honest answer. “But I don’t have time tonight. Talk to me tomorrow.”

Sasuke watched his brother walk off, disappearing behind a sliding door.


	4. Uchiha and their women

Sasuke was awakened by the sun streaming through his window. Stretched and dressed, he walked to the kitchen.

As expected, his mother stood by the stove and greeted him with a smile and a cup of tea. Today she gave him onigiri and a bowl of miso soup as he read his father’s newspaper. Their family valued their routines, it was key to keep a household orderly in Fugaku’s opinion. Mikoto sat down with her coffee and observed her son. One of the reasons she had found happiness despite missing the exciting life of a shinobi was the time she got to spend with her family. Fugaku, having inherited his position from the previous head of the clan, may have more direct influence over their children’s lives but Mikoto had the freedom to talk to Sasuke and Itachi on a daily basis about the things she thought mattered just as much as their developing abilities to take up the responsibilities she and Fugaku would one day leave them. What made them happy or sad recently? Were they getting along with their friends? Did they have anything they looked forward to? The time she got with them in her kitchen was a unique opportunity to keep up with them in their busy lives which was hers and hers alone.

It made her happy, to see her sons slowly becoming adults. They would always be boys to her but she could not deny that they looked more and more like grown men. When Itachi had worked during the night he often came home with stubble on his chin these days. She loved to scratch it before he had a chance to shave it off – teasing him and treasuring the reactions she got out of him. Sasuke had yet to grow any facial hair, but he was taller than even his father now and his features were growing more masculine. His once soft, rounded jaw that used to look so much like hers had become squared and sharp. His arms on the kitchen table were thick with hard muscle, littered with thin scars from his years of fighting. Mikoto wondered how often he had been in danger, how many times she might have almost lost him and not even known about it. Even knowing how strong he had become and how competent his friend were, she had a mother’s heart and it ached each time he had to leave the safety within her walls.

Even so, she had no choice but to trust him and to watch him, hoping she would have him for long enough to die never having known the loss of him or his happiness. Perhaps she did play favorites in her own way. It had not gone unnoticed that Fugaku gave more of his attention to Itachi. As much as she could understand why, she had felt drawn to try and compensate on his behalf. It also helped that he spent more time around her than Itachi ever had – always more drawn to the village at large than the confines of the Uchiha compound.

He certainly looked well today. Something about him was… perkier than usual. Despite being the same pale color as always there was a certain glow about him. Especially his eyes seemed different. More alert, in a good way. Like he was more energetic.

“You seem like you’re in a good mood. Did something nice happen?” Mikoto asked, observing him.

“Hm? I guess. I have today off.” He answered still not looking up from the paper. He did feel good. Yesterday had a lingering positive effect on him and he had slept well.

“Anything planned?”

He thought about it. There was training to be done, and he wanted to take a walk by the lake, but other than that he could not think of much to do. _Maybe I could pick up Sakura after her shift and ask her to train with me._ It would be good to just spend time with her, and he did feel like he could push himself harder around her than when he was alone.

“Nothing special. I think I’ll ask a friend to train with me later.” He shrugged, continuing to eat his breakfast.

“Oh, maybe you could help me with something once you’ve finished eating then. I promised to help Michi-san to clear out rocks from her garden, but an extra pair of hands would be very helpful.” Mikoto looked at him hopefully, and he smiled at her.

“Sure.”

Mikoto beamed. There were light footsteps in the hallway outside the kitchen, and Itachi appeared.

“Good morning. How was work?” Mikoto smiled at her eldest, who went to grab an onigiri from the counter.

“Very dull.” Itachi answered, as neutral as ever. Sasuke thought he looked tired. Understandable, since he had not been home all night. ANBU did not have the luxury of sleeping every night, and he suspected Kakashi was keeping his captain quite busy. At least he was sure to have the day off to rest up for his next shift. Itachi did not eat the onigiri, he simply held it in his hand and met Sasuke’s gaze. Recalling the promise he had made yesterday, Sasuke perked up.

“Spar with me today.” He demanded, and Itachi seemed to get the hint, something passing through his eyes before he nodded slowly.

“Alright. I need to rest, but just knock on my door in a couple of hours.”

Excited, Sasuke finished his breakfast and washed his dishes.

“Come on, mother. Let’s get going so we can finish that garden quickly.”

“Don’t rush. What about letting your brother rest?” Mikoto laughed, shaking her head but following Sasuke out. Michi Uchiha lived at the opposite end of the compound, in a small house with a big garden where she grew much appreciated fresh produce. She sold none of it – instead handing it out freely and cooking with it. Her apples and raspberry jam was famous among the clan, even Sasuke could appreciate it as it was far more tart and less sweet than normal jam tended to be. Mikoto knocked on her door and excused herself as she walked in. Michi was almost ninety years old and a close friend to their family. Her once black hair had turned white with age, but her eyes were as black as ever.

Old swords and shields lined the walls, relics from the wars Michi had seen and lost her sons in. After her husband passing ten years ago she had become all alone in the old house, had she not been such a pillar in the clan she might have been forgotten and faded into the background until she too passed, but Sasuke could not remember a single gathering where she was not present and talking to anyone who came near her.

“Michi-san, how are you today?” Mikoto said sweetly, bowing to the old woman and prompting Sasuke to do the same. The old woman crossed her hands behind her crooked back and smiled at them, her face all grandmotherly warmth and joy at seeing them.

“Oh, as good as melon on a summer day. How kind of you both to come, Mikoto-chan and Sasuke-kun. I’m afraid I have more stubborn rocks than last year for you.”

“None as stubborn as you, planting that soil each year without fail.” Mikoto jested, earning a mischievous grin from the old woman.

“Very true. I’d battle the bastards myself if my back was not as fragile as a newborn beanstalk these days. One wrong move and I would never rise again.”

“Michi-san, please do not say such things…” Mikoto frowned.

“Oh Mikoto-chan, at my age waking up alive is a new miracle each day. Do not worry for me, I will die with nothing to regret. Well, except maybe dumping this whole place for some young fool to try and clean up.” She laughed. “I have not swept the floors upstairs for twelve years! Good luck!”

Mikoto gave an uncomfortable smile, her brows furrowed and tense.

“Best get to it. I’ll bake you both some bread while you work – almonds and strawberries for you, Mikoto-chan. Dried tomatoes in yours, Sasuke-kun. Did I remember that right?”

“Hn. Thank you.” Sasuke replied simply.

With shovels and iron staffs they dug through a large patch of soft, dark dirt at the back of the house. The rocks were surprisingly large, buried under the dirt but not deep enough to not be in the way. It was simple, but good work. The sun shone hotter and hotter as they worked, approaching noon. They both worked up a sweat – though Sasuke made sure to take the heaviest load off his mother’s shoulders by stepping in and throwing it aside whenever she came across a particularly large rock. When they had combed through the patch to completion and Sasuke transported away the rocks with Michi’s wheelbarrow they went back inside where Michi waited for them with a pitcher of cold green tea and clean towels for them to rub away the sweat from their faces.

Michi insisted they let her cook them lunch; cold udon with soy and smoked cod. When they finally left with two bags of bread she waved at them until they could no longer see her.

“Thank you. I think you made her very happy by coming today.” Mikoto said to her son, who furrowed his brow at her.

“Why?”

“Last time I went to visit, she mentioned not seeing you or your brother for quite a while. It sounded to me like she has been worried.” Mikoto sighed.

“Perhaps… but why would se worry about us? She’s the one who’s old with a bad back.” He shrugged, trying not to feel embarrassed about not visiting the old woman for the past few months.

“Women always worry for the men in our lives. You’re all fools.”

He shot her a look, raising his brow but saying nothing. She sounded just like Sakura, always telling him and Naruto to be careful and getting angry at them for getting hurt even though she herself was just as often in danger as they were. They had since long established a quiet agreement to protect Sakura, neither one of them willing to live with themselves should she be the first of them to die. He thought she would have the same mindset considering the first three rules Tsunade had given her, but even though she claimed to believe in them, when it came down to it she was far too quick to resort to her stupid fourth rule. Regeneration ability or not, it pissed him off that she would knowingly shorten her own lifespan just to spare him and Naruto when they wanted nothing more than for her to be safe.

They walked home in silence, separating as they got home. Sasuke washed his face in the bathroom sink then went to claim his promised quality time from Itachi. Knocking twice and opening his door, he found his brother reading the stupid orange book again. He snorted, but Itachi did not seem to care much about being seen with the filthy story.

“Should I come back later?” Sasuke teased, leaning against the doorframe.

“No. Go get your katana and meet me in the hall.” Itachi said simply, closing the book and leaving it on his dresser. Sasuke did as he was told, and Itachi had his own short sword tied to his belt when he got back to him. They walked to the Uchiha’s own small lake, where Sasuke had first learned their fireball ninjutsu. Itachi walked straight out onto the lake, chakra keeping him effortlessly on the surface as easily as he was walking on thick ice. Sasuke followed him, drawing his sword in unison with his brother.

Their swords clashed, drawing sparks through the air as steel met steel. Sasuke smiled at Itachi, who looked back with something cold over his face. Sasuke drew back and slashed at him. His brother parried easily, throwing Sasuke’s blow off and stabbing towards him. He dodged and sliced at Itachi’s ankles but he jumped, sailing smoothly over his head and heaving his short sword down at Sasuke’s head. He deflected with his katana and pushed Itachi away from him. He knew from experience that Itachi was slightly faster and more flexible, while he had the upper hand in brute strength and weight.

Itachi fell back, holding his short sword casually hanging parallel to his leg. The posture was a feint, he had no need to start an attack from neither a defensive nor offensive position to make it efficient and deadly. Sasuke kept his own sword raised and stepped in a circle towards his brother. With neither sound nor warning, Itachi vanished and appeared directly behind Sasuke. When he turned, blocking a heavy blow towards his neck, he met the glaring red eyes of Itachi’s sharingan. Quickly following his lead, Sasuke let his own eyes activate. Still and quiet they stared at each other.

Itachi did not try any genjutsu, but Sasuke remained on high alert, looking for any tiny signs of him trying to interfere with his perception. Getting tired of waiting for his brother to move, he threw his sword forward, forcing Itachi back again.

His next attack was fast. Itachi hooked the tip of his sword under the hand-protection of the katana and flicked it away – making it fly out of Sasuke’s hands. Sasuke himself took the moment his grip loosened to lean forward and grip Itachi’s wrist, forcing him to release his own sword with a swift move. Itachi glanced up at his face, meeting his eyes again. And he smiled.

“Very well done, Sasuke.”

Sasuke grinned, letting to of the wrist and diving through the surface to fetch their swords for them. The lake was quite deep, but it was no challenge to find the shiny metal with his sharingan still activated. When he breached the surface, both swords in one hand, Itachi sat on the small wooden bridge by the edge of the lake.

His sharingan deactivated. Sasuke placed the swords on the bridge to dry and sat down next to his brother. They sat in comfortable silence. The water dripped slowly off Sasuke and returned to the lake. The sun was burning high in the sky, warming him and helping to evaporate the wetness on him. Itachi seemed to not even have broken a sweat in their fight, as dry and pale and cool as always. Sasuke leaned back, putting his arms behind him for support. After a long, quiet moment, Itachi finally closed his eyes.

“It might be difficult to take over father’s position when he finally retires.” He said. His voice was soft and almost tender, Sasuke was not used to hearing him sound so vulnerable. The stoic, quiet brother of his seemed almost impenetrable most of the time. He knew it was more training and masterful control than a lack of emotions, but people had a tendency to see that cold façade and not notice the gentle spirit that laid hidden underneath. But Sasuke was different. He had always understood how kind his brother was, it was what drew them to close to each other. From childhood he had loved Itachi more than any other person in the world, even when they were separated by life or work or the expectations their family had of them.

“I doubt that. You’re everything he’s ever wanted.” Sasuke replied, not buying Itachi had any reason to worry about taking over the leadership of their clan. Even if he would probably never take over captaining the Police – that is what Sasuke was for. It did not matter.

“Hm. Not everything.” Itachi muttered, pulling one of his knees up against his chest in an unusual pose for him. He crossed his arms over the knee, almost as if he was hugging himself. Feeling a slight sting of concern, Sasuke leaned closer to him and watched him with greater interest than before.

“What do you mean? You’ve never failed at anything he wanted from you.”

“I… will fail at this. It’s just not known by the clan yet.” Itachi’s brow furrowed alarmingly.

“The marriage thing? Why? Who cares? You don’t need to be married to be a leader.” Sasuke argued. Part of him was getting angry on Itachi’s behalf.

“It is expected. Especially producing a legitimate heir to follow our generation.” 

“So do that. You’re not infertile, are you?” Sasuke scoffed, letting his anger come out more than he intended. Itachi’s eye twitched, surprising him even more than that pose of his. It was so similar to how his own eye would twitch sometimes.

“Not as far as I am aware. But even if I did marry the person I’d like to, producing children would be impossible.”

Sasuke felt the anger fade away. He took a relieved breath and relaxed significantly as his suspicions for Itachi’s refusals were confirmed.

“Whatever. Do it anyway.” He said with a shrug, meeting Itachi’s eyes stubbornly when he turned towards him, more indignant than he had ever seen him before. “Seriously – who cares? Just leave it to me to make enough children for both of us. It’s not like it’s hard.”

“Are you serious?” Itachi said, the corners of his lips actually moving as if he could not keep them down. Sasuke gave him a cocky smirk in return.

“You should get _some_ use out of having me as your brother.”

And then, for the first time in over ten years, Sasuke got to hear his brother laugh in earnest. Grinning like an idiot with his eyes wide on him, he drank in the look and sound of it and made sure to memorize the precious moment. When Itachi went quiet again, Sasuke turned away slightly and side-eyed him.

“Are you going to tell me his name?”

Itachi smiled, leaning over to poke him hard in the forehead.

“Maybe later, Sasuke.”

Sasuke scoffed, frowning at the jab to his face and dismissal. It was just like when he was little, chasing his brother around and getting the cold shoulder because he was too busy to acknowledge him.

“Tch. I’m not attending if you won’t tell me who the other groom is first.”

“You truly are fine with it?” Itachi asked softly. Sasuke glared at him.

“I don’t care. I’m more worried about that stupid book from earlier. Promise me you won’t turn into Kakashi and walk around reading that filth in public.”

“Hm. The Hokage insisted on giving it to me. It would be rude not to read it at least once.”

“Just because he became the Hokage doesn’t mean Kakashi should get everything he wants.” Sasuke leaned forward and changed up his position, crossing both his legs and arms in front of him.

“You should speak of your former sensei with more respect.” Itachi answered.

“You didn’t respect Minazuki.” Sasuke pointed out. The jounin that had been assigned Itachi’s old genin team had hardly been as good a man as Kakashi, but it was still worth pointing out.

“I do respect Kakashi-san. He was an excellent captain when I initially joined the ANBU.”

“You still don’t have to read his favorite porno.” Sasuke replied shortly, sticking out his tongue at his brother, not caring that it was childish. When Itachi did not laugh, he regretted it and backed down. “Want to go buy dango?”

“You hate sweets.” Itachi mused.

“They have tea, don’t they?” Sasuke said with a shrug, getting up, grabbing his katana and not looking to see if Itachi would follow him. He knew he would. Itachi never rejected dango.

The village was quite calm outside of the compound. It was only early in the afternoon. Most people were still working. They passed two police officers on patrol and acknowledged them politely. The dango shop was open and only a few elderly men and women sat outside. As they approached the wide entry with the blue and white flags Sasuke nearly stopped in his tracks when he spotted Sakura exiting it with a woman in a plain white dress and matching hat. She was in turquoise scrubs and a long white coat, laughing at something with the other woman.

He was not expecting to run into her, especially not with his brother in tow. Unbidden, his heart skipped a beat as her eyes caught his and saw how startled she was at the sight of him. The woman next to her shot an uncertain glance from her to him.

“Sasuke-kun?” Sakura said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Only when they got closer did she seem to notice Itachi. “Ah, Itachi-san, too. Hi.”

Sasuke glanced at her companion, and she followed his eyes.

“Ah, this is my coworker - Nurse Fui-san. We both had our breaks at the same time so we decided to get out for a bit.”

“Nice to meet you, Fui-san.” Itachi said politely. The Nurse smiled and bowed her head and returned the greeting. Sasuke stuck his hands in his pocket and glanced over at his brother, considering how bold he wanted to be in front of him and Sakura’s coworker. _Asking her to train with me is not that suspicious, we’re still teammates._ He locked his eyes on her, trying not to enjoy the way she stared back at him with those big, green eyes of hers.

“When do you get off work?” He asked. She tilted her head ever so slightly.

“Around seven if nothing unexpected happens.”

“Want to train tonight? I can come pick you up.” He did his best to sound nonchalant, but her cheeks turned slightly pink and she nodded.

“Sounds good. Just wait for me in the reception, okay?” She bowed good-bye to Itachi and took Fui’s arm, waving as she left for the hospital. Sasuke felt his eyes linger on her back slightly longer than he should have, clearing his throat when he finally managed to snap out of it and took a few steps towards the entrance when he noticed Itachi did not move with him. He glanced back at him, wondering what was delaying him. Itachi met his eyes.

“What?” Sasuke asked.

“You did not say why you are not together.” Itachi said, letting the words sound like a question. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, then smirked and walked back to him. Doing his best impression of his brother, he poked him hard in the forehead and imitated his voice.

“ _Maybe later, Itachi._ ”

Itachi did not laugh, but it still felt good to get revenge.

They separated once they got home, Itachi understandably needing more rest. Sasuke went to the garden to meditate for a while before dinner. His father was already sitting in the sun, facing the small pond. He wore casual clothing and appeared to be deep in thought. Sasuke sat down silently next to him, wrapping his legs into a Lotus pose and closing his eyes. As soon as he relaxed, his mind wandered on its own towards Sakura in the hospital. He imagined what she might be doing, and what her face might look like when he went to pick her up. Happy, no doubt. Excited, probably. He heard his father stir next to him and opened one eye to glance at him.

“Sasuke. There is a jutsu I have yet to teach you. If you have time, I’d like to show you.”

Surprised, he opened his other eye and turned his head.

“Of course, father.”

Fugaku stood up so Sasuke followed, tailing after his father much like he had when he was little. Except now he was taller than him and had to slow down from his natural pace to not walk ahead of him. He thought perhaps that would be seen as a slight, so he stayed just slightly behind on his right side. Back at the lake again, Fugaku stepped onto the water just like Itachi had. Sasuke thought the resemblance was almost eerie as he followed his elder for the second time that day. _Following in his footsteps will be easy, Itachi. You’re already walking just like him._

They stood a few steps apart, directly facing each other. His father made a long series of hand-signs, slowly, so that they were easy for Sasuke to memorize. When he finished, he took a deep breath and exhaled fire. The fire reminded him of the Fireball jutsu, but instead of streaming forward towards Sasuke it circled back against Fugaku, wrapping around him to form a blazing barrier like a chakra cloak.

“This is an ultimate defense invented by my late father. It allows you to protect yourself or others from most harm, burning whatever touches the outside.” The fire moved and shifted constantly, swirling and burning so hot Sasuke could feel it threaten to burn his skin even from a distance. “However. There is a reason I have not showed you this until now.” He closed his eyes and a moment later, the fired flared up threateningly.

Sasuke observed his father carefully, instinctively holding up an arm against the heat but standing his ground.

“If not handled with perfect control, it will kill the person it is meant to protect. Give in to its power and it burns inwards as well as out. Feed into the power and it flares out until it explodes, taking out everything within a radius of the user. If you run out of chakra before extinguishing it yourself, it will eat your lifeforce instead.” Fugaku paused, opening his eyes and extinguishing the fire-cloak. “It took the life of its inventor while he was trying to save me and my mother during the war. But only after he had time to pass it on to me.” Sasuke stared at his father, listening intently. It was the first time he had spoken openly about that war, and the story of how he came to inherit his father’s title had been kept out of Sasuke’s ears no matter how many times he asked about the grandparents he never got to meet.

“I believe you are finally old enough to bear such a jutsu, and the responsibility that comes with it. If the time ever comes, I want you to use this jutsu to protect our clan. Our family.”

Sasuke nodded slowly. _He wants me to be willing to sacrifice myself, should it come down to it._ He copied the signs, slow like his father had done them, and then breathed. The chakra burnt hot in his gut, catching on fire the moment it touched the air outside his mouth. The heat against his skin was nearly unbearable as it cloaked him – but it did not hurt him. He soon understood what his father meant by its power. He felt alive, like the flames were filling him with scorching hot energy when it should be draining him. It was much too tempting to let down his guard and enjoy it or test its limits to see what he could do. Repeating his father’s words about the consequences, he kept himself from doing so. He fixed his eyes on Fugaku and choked the flames with his will.

The second the fire flickered out of existence he felt significantly drained, his chakra reserves far lower than just a few minutes earlier. _I see what he means. A jutsu that makes you feel like you are gaining energy when you’re really using a ton of it is dangerous._ Fugaku nodded, looking pleased.

“You picked it up quickly. Just do not assume you have mastered it yet, and only use it when you truly have no other choice.”

Sasuke nodded again, bowing to his father.

They returned together, walking silently side-by-side. When they got home they all had dinner together for once, and his mother was especially chipper, keeping them at the table with a bombarding of questions and topics. None of the men minded, happy to see her so upbeat. Listening to her explain away about some meeting she had recently been to with other Uchiha women, Sasuke glanced at the clock to see it was almost seven already. He quickly stood up, thanking her for the dinner and excusing himself. He ran down the hall, sliding to a stop by the bathroom to wash his face just in case he had any sweat or grime clinging to him and rushed towards the hospital. A few meters before rounding the corner to the main entrance he skid to a stop and began walking at his usual pace, his hands in his pockets, pretending as if he had strolled calmly the entire way. He did not want Sakura to know he had run to get there on time – that would just make him look lame.

When he stepped through the automatic doors she was already standing by the reception desk. She was in her normal gear and it looked like she had just brushed her hair, it fell smoothly down her head and looked quite shiny. When she saw him, she smiled and went to meet him.

“Sasuke-kun!”

“Did I make you wait?” He asked, hoping she had not. She shook her head.

“No, I just finished getting changed a few minutes before you got here.” Sakura still smiled, beaming at him.

“Let’s go.”

The public training grounds were full of students from the Academy. Apparently, they had chosen tonight of all times to go through some emergency drills. Sakura waved at Iruka, and Sasuke suggested they go to the private grounds in the compound instead. It was quite remote by Konoha standards, but it was rarely crowded as only members of the Uchiha used it. Sakura received quite a few curious looks as they walked through the compound, it was rare for outsiders to be invited in and even rarer for them to stand out visually as much as Sakura did. Her pink hair and red clothes contrasted sharply against the crowds of black and brown haired Uchiha in their dark, muted colors. Nobody questioned her presence however, as she was walking with one of Fugaku’s sons. Still it did seem to bother her to be gawked at like that.

The grounds were nearly empty, as he had expected. A trio of children were playing at the edge of the forest surrounding the perimeters but other than that they were alone. The children stopped to stare at Sakura, one of them pointing and saying something to his friends which Sasuke could not hear. He gave the children a dirty look for staring at her but ignored whatever comment had been made.

“So. What were you thinking we should practice?” Sakura asked, back to her more confident self now that they were out of the crowd. She put one hand on her hip and eyed him curiously.

“During our last mission in the Hidden Cloud we both got pinned down by that Tank guy. We never practiced afterwards, even though I thought we should.” Sasuke explained.

“Good idea. I remember you had to use your Chidori stream to electrocute him.”

Sasuke nodded.

“So, should we take turns pinning each other down, while the other tries to break lose without ninjutsu?” She cocked her head to one side, eyeing him mischievously. He smirked.

“No chakra allowed at all. We should be able to break free on technique alone.”

“And it would not be fair to let me enhance myself like I usually do?” She said, crossing her arms over her chest, still smiling at him.

“You would either break me or the grounds. Either way, my mother would be severely displeased.”

“I can heal you… No one has to know.” She purred, winking.

“But you can’t heal the ground, last time I checked.”

“Hah, fair enough. Who does what?”

“You start pinning.”

“How gentlemanly.” She muttered, stalking closer and throwing herself low. She kicked his feet out from under him and put him in a headlock with her legs forcing his legs still, then rolled over with a grunt so she was on top of him. Even without chakra, she was a strong woman and knew what she was doing. He put both hands over hers and forced them apart, then knocked his elbows against the ground and knocked the air out of her as he rolled over her. Her legs released and they both jumped to their feet.

“My turn.” Sasuke said steadily, considering his options for pinning her. Deciding, he leapt behind her and grabbed both her arms, pushing them behind her back into a lock which could break her arms if she was not careful. She stood perfectly still for a moment, then he felt the sole of her heel slam against his crotch. Stumbling backwards, he saw stars swimming before his eyes.

“S-sorry! Was that too much?” She stuttered, rushing forward with one hand glowing green.

“No… it… worked.” Sasuke groaned. Within a few seconds of receiving her healing jutsu the pain had disappeared. “Did Tsunade teach you that?”

“Yeah. When in doubt, go for the balls.” Sakura deadpanned and the green glow disappeared.

Sasuke nodded. He had seen her kick plenty of enemies, and once Naruto, between their legs but for some reason he had assumed she would spare him that treatment.

“I won’t do that again, Sasuke-kun. Go again, if you like.”

“No. It’s your turn.” He challenged, not wanting her to hold back. There was no room for pity in a real fight. She nodded, looking him up and down. This time she nailed him flat on his stomach with one arm behind his back, and he got loose, flinging her away in the process. They kept taking turns, again and again until they were both covered in bruises and his muscles protested. Charging at her one last time, he got her flat on her back and held her limbs down with his own. Her eyes stared up at him and she blushed, which he was not prepared for. Then she rolled them both, so their positions where switched. He felt his own cheeks heat up before managing to throw her off.

Panting, they both looked quite done with their session. The sun was almost below the outer walls, but it was still far from dark. Sasuke approached her and let her take away the bruising on his arms. One of his fingers ached badly, he held up the hand for her to inspect.

“Broken.” She muttered and grabbed the hand, holding it in her own while she healed the bone. He looked at her as she worked, taking in the look on her face in that green glow. The concentration on her face was calm, collected and complete. She always had that look while healing. It was the look of someone who wanted to help and knew that they could, a look that could calm her patients even in desperate moments.

“Hn.” He let her finish, continuing to watch her. The green glow in her hand matched the green of her eyes and she was beautiful. He had seen it many times before, they had both lost count of how many times Sakura had saved him and Naruto from every type of injury imaginable. Affection for her began filling his head. Questioning his better judgement, he considered kissing her despite being in the open field where anyone could see if they passed by. _If there was no need to sneak around, I could. I would not need to care who saw us._ Sasuke thought bitterly.

When she stopped healing, he held on to her hand and angrily wished he could grab more of her. She noticed the look in his eyes and shot back a wondering look. He made a quick decision and used his grip on her hand to pull her towards the forest.

Surrounded by tall trees he decided they were shielded enough. He knew Sakura might be okay with hiding their relationship, or perhaps that she understood the difference in expectations on them. Her family had never seemed to involve themselves in her choices, nor did it seem like they could stop Sakura even if they wanted to. Part of him envied that freedom, but he knew he could never live without his clan. They meant too much, and they were a part of him. He needed them and although he had not thought so when he was younger, they needed him too.

“I’m sorry for letting go of your hand yesterday. In the future, I won’t.”

“Sasuke-kun?”

He cupped both her cheeks in his hands, pulling her in to kiss her, intending to seal that promise. Despite seeming slightly confused she leaned into it, pressing her palms gently against his chest while their lips met.

“Sasuke!” A stern voice echoed between the trees, and he broke away from her to find his father coming towards them. A chill ran down his spine and Sakura gasped, holding her hands before her chest the way she tended to do when she felt shy or intimidated. He could not blame her, Fugaku looked angry. Once he was close enough, he gave both of them cold looks. Sasuke glared back, although he could not stop his face from burning. Part of him was ashamed, not about kissing Sakura but about sneaking around about it. A pang of regret stabbed at his stomach – making him wish they would have just disbanded the team the day he got the news about joining the Police Force and proudly announcing her as his. That would have been met with resistance, sure, but it would at least have been brave. He felt like a coward for trying to hide her like this, and only now did he realize.

“Father.” Sasuke muttered, careful to keep his face under control. Even if his skin would not obey at the moment, he could at least not surrender what remained of his dignity to his father’s anger. Fugaku crossed his arms and glared at his son. Sasuke stared back, meeting his black eyes with his own.

“Both of you are coming home with me.” Fugaku ordered, lingering for a second before he turned around towards where he had come from. Sasuke straightened his back and started walking after him. When Sakura did not immediately follow, he went to grab her hand and prompted her to come along. Remembering what he had just promised, he did not let go even as they entered the streets leading home.

There were still plenty of people in the streets, tending to their last errands for the day or making their way home. Most of them stared in blunt surprise when they saw the three of them. Their clan leader furious, his son in tow, dragging a pink outsider along by the hand. Sakura blushed and seemed flustered, while Sasuke’s sense of dignity was pushing away the red from his skin.

“Don’t be embarrassed. You’ve done nothing wrong.” He told her, and after a moment she steadied her steps and held her head a little bit higher. _I’m the one to blame here. I never should have been such a coward._ He decided he had been weak for not fighting for her. There was no rule against dating outsiders, no real reason to be sneaking around beyond some stupid agreement he had been so blinded by. What did it matter if they had one last mission or not? Naruto would have understood if they needed to disband early, would never have denied either of them the same happiness he had come to know with Hinata.

Once they stepped inside, Sasuke was relieved to be out of the center of attention from all those people in the streets, but he steeled himself for the worst part. Fugaku led him towards the tatami room where he held his meetings, and where he had scolded Sasuke countless times in the past.

“Sakura-chan is here? Fugaku-san, what are…“ Mikoto’s voice came from down the hall, where she stood with a basket full of folded clothes. She interrupted herself when she saw the dark look on her husband’s face. She looked them up and down and lingered where their hands met. “Oh.”

“Girl.” Fugaku muttered, irritating Sasuke with the way he addressed her. “I’ll leave you to my wife. Go with her.”

Sakura looked at Sasuke uncertainly. He gave her a nod and a short, reassuring squeeze around her hand before letting it go so that she could tail after his mother to the kitchen. Fugaku opened the sliding door to the tatami room. He placed himself standing with his back to the inner wall, leaving Sasuke to close the door and kneel in front of him. The silence between them was potent, heavy. _Just a couple of hours ago, he was so pleased with me learning the fire-cloak jutsu._ Sasuke thought, bitterly.

“What the hell are you up to?” Fugaku demanded. Sasuke clenched his jaw, refusing to be intimidated. He did not answer the question, so his father continued after another long silence. “How long has this been going on?”

“Depends on what you are asking me.” Sasuke replied coldly. Fugaku narrowed his eyes, his glare becoming borderline hostile.

“What have you done with that girl?”

“Her name is Sakura Haruno.” He bit back, still not appreciating his disrespectful way of speaking about her. Fugaku scoffed. “Refer to her properly or I will not answer to anything you ask.”

“Fair enough. You do hold some respect for her.”

“Respect…? She’s been my teammate for eight years!”

“And that makes it worse, you foolish child. What were you thinking – dragging her into a forest and acting so inappropriately.”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed.

“Is that what this is about?”

“You should understand what this is about.”

“No, father. Enlighten me.”

“You are an _Uchiha_. It is below you to be playing with some poor girls’ heart. Her being on your team only makes it worse.”

“I am not –“

“You are!” His father roared. “You will marry an honorable clanswoman one day. If you care for Sakura’s feelings, you will stop toying with her and let her down now before it is too late.”

“Oh, I was not aware I had no choice in the matter. Is there a rule that I must marry within the clan?” Sasuke growled, becoming dangerously agitated with the implications his father was making. That he thought he would stoop so low as to mess around with someone he did not love as much as she loved him was insulting enough, the person in question being Sakura only worsened the slight. But most importantly there had never been talk of forcing him into marrying some distant cousin before, and there should not be. He had worked too hard to gain the recognition of his family to accept being controlled like some meek sheep by them.

“Hmpf. Not yet. But perhaps we need one if that’s what it takes to get you in line with the interests of your clan.”

“How dare you…”

“I am your father. You will do as I say.”

“And I am your son. You will respect my right to choose.”

“You have chosen to inevitably hurt a comrade for your own pleasure. That I can not respect.”

“That is a disgusting accusation.”

“Do not blame me, Sasuke.”

“You have such a low opinion of me, after all this time, that you automatically assume I’m some scumbag who would actually do that?”

“I have heard the way women around the village speak about you. It is shameful.”

“What? I have done nothing but turned them down.”

“That is not what it sounds like, by the sound of them.”

Irritation had grown to wrath in him now. It had always been a nuisance that he was so popular with women, especially since there seemed to be no good reason for it. He understood they thought he looked good but that should never be the be all end all for your feelings for someone. It was shallow and stupid, and it kept putting the burden on him to put an end to _their_ problem with lusting after him. Hearing his father use that to accuse him of taking advantage of Sakura… and implying she was such a foolish, shallow person… It was too much to bear.

“If anyone is claiming that as truth, they are a fucking liar.” His voice came out low and threatening. “This is all about your reputation by virtue is it? You hear people talking shit and your reaction is to be ashamed rather than to believe your own son?”

Sick of this conversation, Sasuke stood up, facing his father with his full length. Even before he straightened his back fully, he stood taller than Fugaku.

“The only thing I have to be ashamed about is not openly claiming her as mine right away.”

“Kneel, Sasuke. We are not done.”

“Force me. I have spent my whole life doing nothing but try to please you and this family. I deserve more respect than this.”

“Then stop being insolent like a child. Do you intend to marry her?”

“That depends on what she wants. She has a career she is passionate about; she is about to lead research into jutsu that could save hundreds, maybe thousands over time. Did you know that? She will be the most brilliant healer this country has ever seen, possibly the whole world. I would never take that from her to have her washing dishes and doing laundry.” He spat the words out, only thinking of his mother after he heard them come out of his mouth. It became instantly clear he had made a low blow.

Fugaku stormed towards him and put both hands on his shoulders - pushing him back onto his knees. Guilt flooded his gut and despite his earlier resolve, he did not fight back. Just as his knees hit the tatami below, the door slid open behind him.

“I overheard.” Itachi’s voice said gently from the door and closed it. He kneeled, taking a neutral position facing both of them from the side. “Please speak with less anger, both of you.”

Sasuke stared at the floor. He could feel their eyes on him as he waited for them to say something.

“Mother certainly seems happy. I heard her laughing in the kitchen.” Itachi said. Sasuke just looked at him, finding it hard to believe. Fugaku sighed, finally sitting down with his legs and arms crossed in front of him. He was still stern, deep lines marking his face. At least, he did not seem so angry any longer.

“Fine. Tell me about her.”

“What about her?” Sasuke muttered, questioning the sudden change of demeanor.

“Let’s start somewhere. You mentioned turning women down – why not her?”

“She’s different.”

“How long have you been coupling?”

“I already answered that. It depends on what you mean.”

“When did your relationship start, then?”

“We are not officially together. We talked about it four years ago, but decided against it because we did not want our team to disband over it.”

“I see. And for how long has it been physical?”

“… Since her birthday, but more so since you told me I’m going to join the force.”

Fugaku sighed again, closing his eyes and pausing. Sasuke let him think in silence, shooting a look at Itachi, who seemed perfectly unaffected by the conversation. Their father rubbed his temple with a pained expression before continuing.

“And Itachi – how much did you know?”

Itachi closed his eyes, bowing his head ever so slightly.

“Sasuke has told me he wants to be with her. Personally, I support it.”

Their father sat quietly for a painfully long time before responding.

“Thank you for your opinion, and thank you for your honesty, Sasuke. I can not claim to be convinced I should give you any blessings, but I will consider this matter carefully.”

“Thank you, father.” Sasuke said, softer than he thought he would, as traces of anger still lingered within his heart.

Just as Itachi had claimed, there was laughter echoing through the hallway outside. The sound of it was coming closer. There was a delicate knock at the door and Mikoto peeked inside.

“Are you all done talking? It’s getting too late to be fighting.” She asked sweetly, smiling at her family. Fugaku rose first, walking past his sons without looking at either of them. Itachi got up next, giving Sasuke one quick touch on his shoulder to encourage him to do the same.

“Sakura-chan, I hope you will consider coming over for tea like I offered. I would love to hear more of your stories soon.” Mikoto said, and Sasuke could almost swear she giggled.

“Only if you promise to come by and get those values checked. Don’t make me worry about you, okay?”

“Is something wrong with your health, mother?” Itachi asked, and Mikoto immediately began denying it but Sakura cut in.

“I suspect a minor iron deficiency, very common among women in general. If I just get a proper measure of her values I have excellent supplements for it. I take them too - they taste like strawberry gummies.”

“Oh, I love strawberries! How fun.” Mikoto laughed. Sasuke felt a surge of pride over her then, that she had somehow charmed his mother and made her so happy while they were screaming at each other in the other room. He rose, straightening his back and joined the rest of them in the hall, leaning against the doorframe.

“I’ll walk you home, Sakura. I need to clear my head.” He shot a look at his father to see if there would be any protest.

“Well, thank you for tonight, Mikoto-san. Fugaku-san. You too, Itachi-san. Good evening!” Sakura smiled and waved happily as they left the house. Sasuke smiled at her on their way out.

“Phew, that went better than expected.” Sakura joked, wiping her dry forehead with the back of her hand. “So much for making a good impression, huh?”

Sasuke kept smiling but did not reply. She looked him in the eyes and seemed concerned, her forehead wrinkling below the diamond.

“Was you father very angry?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Alright. But at least tell me if you are alright. We heard some of the shouting and… it did not sound very nice.”

“It’s fine. Families fight.”

“But are you okay?”

“I am now. I realized something.”

“Hm?”

“That hiding how I feel about you was cowardly.”

“Ah, is that what you meant when you apologized for dropping my hand in front of that officer?”

“Hn.”

She stopped, taking his hand and pulling him to her. They were alone on the street, their curious onlookers from before had disappeared into their homes for the night.

“If that’s the case then I want the same. If Kakashi-sensei gives us another mission, we can tell him and let him decide to send us or not.”

“Agreed.” He leaned down, lightly pressing his lips against hers.

“That’s a way better agreement.” She giggled.

“Hn.” He said, smiling like a fool as he kissed her again.

She was so happy the rest of the way home she kept humming on some melody Sasuke did not recognize. It was sweet and up-beat and he did not interrupt her. When they reached her door, she pulled him through it.

“We were interrupted.” She said with a shrug and wrapped her hands around his neck, standing on the tips of her toes to reach his lips. He let the door slam shut and picked her up by her legs, wrapping them around his hips. Sakura moaned softly, pushing her hips against his. It was beginning to make him excited, tempting him to stay with her. But his heart ached as the argument with his father sunk in. He hated being on his bad side. It brought too many old memories, too many years of feeling inadequate in the light of his high expectations. Sasuke pressed his forehead against hers and put her back down. Stroking her cheek, he looked tenderly at her.

“Sorry, Sakura. I need to go home.”

She smiled, closing her eyes and bumping her nose against his.

“Good night, Sasuke-kun.”

He gave her one last kiss, taking her bottom lip between his and savoring the feeling of her. Then he let her go, letting her lock the door behind him as he left.

The night was quiet and cool. Lanterns lit the way home and despite the ache, he thought it would heal soon enough.


	5. Sasuke's Favorite Trail

The morning after his argument with his father, Sasuke found a bundle of books left outside his door. They were carefully stacked and wrapped. He had laid the books out on his desk – they were textbooks on police work. For several days Sasuke did little other than study them, only taking breaks to keep up with his training sessions. Itachi was as good as gone from the house. He only come home for long enough to sleep for a few hours before he disappeared again. He had offered no explanation, but his schedule was constantly changing according to the needs and whims of the Hokage so it surprised none of them.

Saturday morning Sasuke found his father sitting at the breakfast table for the first time in over a week. Greeting him politely, he sat down and said good morning to Mikoto, who seemed quite radiant. Fugaku was still reading the paper, so Sasuke settled for looking out the window instead of reading. He could see the leafy crown of a tree fluttering in the wind outside, reminding him of the forest surrounding their village and how he had not been outside the village walls in quite a while.

Fugaku was as stoic as usual, reading in silence while Sasuke ate. Mikoto sat down with them, leaning over the tabletop with her chin resting on her hands.

“Any plans today, Sasuke?” She asked him.

“I’ll study and train."

“You have done little else for the whole week.” Mikoto observed. “It’s okay to take a day off.”

“No, there is no knowing when Kakashi might give us a new mission. I can’t waste my time when I have things that need to get done.” He looked to his mother, who seemed greatly amused despite him being serious.

“You sound just like your father. Right, honey?” She glanced between her son and her husband, neither returning the small smile on her lips.

“Hmpf.” His father scoffed behind his paper. Sasuke excused himself from the table, leaving his dishes in the sink and heading back to his books. There was just one left for him to go through. His scroll with notes was almost running out of space. He had saved that textbook for last as it seemed far less concrete than the others – _‘The Key to Comradery’_. Sasuke already felt like he understood the topic, after all he had regularly put his life in the hands of his comrades for years. He plowed through reading the book without making many notes. It was what he expected it to be, a written equivalent of Kakashi’s lectures on the importance of teamwork for success.

Shutting the book, he looked out his window and noted the sun was high in the sky outside. Satisfied, he put the _Key to Comradery_ on the stack with the others and got up to get today’s work-out done. The training grounds were populated by a scattered bunch of clansmen and women. It did not bother him much. He had planned on mostly weightlifting today anyway and did not need much space to get it done. At the furthest corner of the grounds were an area with wooden racks for freestyle exercises and a long line of increasingly larger rocks for lifting. After warming up by running a few laps around the grounds he hooked his hands under one of the larger rocks and got to work. He balanced it on his back and did push-ups, sweat soon beginning to drip down his face as his body heated with the effort.

Training was usually a good way to clear his mind and simply concentrate on what he was doing but today the argument with his father kept resurfacing in his mind. _It was humiliating to hear him talk about me like that._ He had not needed to take a scolding on his knees for a long time, but the memory of how it felt never faded. When he was younger it had driven him to work harder hoping that if he just became strong enough like Itachi the reprimands would stop and he would get to solve the problems between him and his father on his feet – meeting him as an respected equal. Throughout the years he thought he was getting closer and closer to reaching that goal. When he completed his first S-Rank mission he even got praised for his efforts, his father telling him he was proud to call him his son in front of his team. To be praised by him was incredibly rare in itself; positive words about him in front of outsiders was damn near unheard of.

 _‘You have chosen to hurt a comrade for you own pleasure.’_ The words rang through his head. Remembering them stung something horrible beneath his ribs. Growing up, plenty of boys had for some reason been jealous of his predicament with girls chasing after him, even Naruto had been. Their petty expressions of envy had not bothered him. That was all it was, lame ideas about popularity mattering. Sasuke saw no point in in. Why would you want to be desired by people you yourself did not care for? If they were not relevant to him then they should just leave him alone. Then again, he often had felt different from many of his peers, as he felt none of their need to keep a large group of friends, either. Naruto was no doubt the worst one, always running around insisting on bonding with anyone with even a shred of decency in them. Sasuke found it almost surprising he had not befriended every single random civilian in the village yet.

He dropped the rock by tilting to the side and rolled onto his back to recharge. Staring up at the sky he felt a little calmer. _One girl is more than enough._ He thought, and he felt a pull at the corner of his mouth. _My girl._ A wind blew over the grounds, cooling his sweaty skin. It felt like spring.

Sasuke’s thoughts bothered him less after that. The spring wind had strengthened his resolve, reminding him much had changed since the humiliating chase for his father’s acknowledgement in the past. He was no longer a child, desperately dependent on approval. He loved his family and his clan, and he was as much a part of them as they were a part of him. They would not cut him off for walking his own path and contributing to their future in the way he believed to be right. He completed his regimen, his body sore at the end of it but his spirits significantly raised.

On his way home, he passed the house of Michi and saw her working in her garden, bent over some flowers growing in pots. She was harvesting them and filling a basket with their crowns. Considering her, he thought about his mother’s words after their last visit and decided it would be polite to greet her.

“Michi.” He announced himself. She took her time before reacting, finishing her task while he observed her. A small groan left her when she tried and failed to straighten her crooked back and she turned her head over her shoulder.

“Ah, Sasuke-kun. It seems I am stuck. Would you help an old woman out?”

He walked up to her, gently helping her up and away from the pots on the ground. He led her inside where she could sit down and rest in her armchair.

“Thank you. What brings you by?” She asked, putting the basket of flower crowns on the floor.

“Just passing.” He answered, crossing his arms. “What are you doing, picking flowers when you know your back is bad?”

“If I do not tend to my garden then what is the point of continuing to get up each day? I might as well lie down and rot, then.” She smiled with that mischievous look of hers. “Besides, the spring festival is around the corner and I’m making my contribution.”

“Aa, Hanami? I’d forgotten about that.”

“Hah, youth these days. Well, attend it if you can. Missing out on special occasions at your age is a terrible shame.”

“Hm. I don’t like large gatherings.”

“You do not go for the crowd but for the people who matter.” Michi smiled, knotting her hands in her lap. “Do you have someone you would like to go with? I heard about you and Fugaku-kun dragging some outsider girl through the compound.”

As much he did not care for rumors spreading through the clan it was to be expected when something so public happened involving the head family.

“I think you’re the only person who refers to my father by _kun_.” He said and she scoffed, laughing.

“Of course, I’ve known that admirable fool since he was just a little brat. He used to steal apples from my trees back then, until I chased him off with a broom and gave him a piece of my mind.”

Sasuke’s mouth twitched.

“He did?”

“I think he was giving them to some girl he liked. Though I can not recall who.” Michi rubbed her chin then shook her head.

“It was not my mother?” Sasuke asked, growing genuinely curious.

“No, he only got to know Mikoto-chan later on. They are five years apart, so they did not attend school together.”

“Hm.”

“A good thing he picked her. She was always a good girl with her wits about her.” Michi sighed, eyeing Sasuke. “While you are here, you should eat something.”

“I’m fine. I’m going home, anyway.”

“Don’t be a fool. You’re in my house, do not insult me by rejecting my cooking. Go open the fridge and grab yourself some onigiri. Ah, and one of the jars on the top shelf, too. I forgot to send your mother home with one last time she was here.”

Sighing, Sasuke saw no point in arguing with the stubborn old woman and did as she said. The label on the jar read ‘ _apples and raspberries’._

“Thank you, Michi. She will be glad.” 

“You can take one for that girl too, if you would like.” Michi’s eye twinkled once she had said it, a gentle but meaning look on her face. Sasuke met her gaze, allowing himself to relax under it.

“Sure, she would like that.”

With two jars of jam in his hand, he left the old woman to rest and walked the way home. His mother was out hanging up sheets to dry when he arrived. She looked happy to see him when he came walking towards her, and he handed her one of the jars.

“Michi wanted you to have it.” He said, and she nodded, putting it down next to her laundry basket. She noticed he one still in his hand and tilted her head. He explained that too; “It’s for Sakura.”

“How kind of Michi-san. I’ll give her my thanks.” Mikoto said, putting her hands on her hips and smiling at her son. “So, we still haven’t talked about that. Were you going to tell me about Sakura-chan?” He looked away.

“Eventually.”

“Hmm… Perhaps I should not have been surprised. I did think something seemed different about you.” Mikoto made a quick pause, and he looked back at her. “I hope your father did not overstep too much. He has been quite tense lately.”

Sasuke frowned, thinking back to what Sakura had said about overhearing some of it. They must have yelled at each other louder than he had noticed while in the middle of it, but it was difficult to say how much his mother could have heard.

“What did he tell you about it?”

“Not much, but I can tell when he is worried about you.”

“I don’t see what there is to worry about.” He replied, crossing his arms. Despite his mother having nothing to do with his conflicts with his father he wanted to hear about it from her perspective.

“In the eyes of a parent there are always a thousand worries.” Mikoto answered gently, blinking slowly and letting her arms fall to her sides. She ended the conversation there, going back to her chore. Sasuke pondered her words and left her to it.

Done with his own tasks for the day he felt like taking a walk. Since he needed to see her to give her the jam he figured it would be suitable to ask Sakura to walk with him. They had not met since the night of the argument, but he was not worried she might be taking that as a bad sign. Both of them lived busy lives most of the time, especially her with her medical work to do between their missions.

After leaving the compound, he was surprised to run into her and Naruto walking down the streets. They carried a heavy load of books in their arms. He walked up next to them so they would notice him.

“Hey, man. What are you doing here?” Naruto asked. Sasuke was not in the mood to answer, so he just turned to Sakura.

“What’s with all the books?”

“Oh, they’re just some reading I want to do before starting up the research project. The oncology department was kind enough to lend them to me.” Sakura answered.

“I see.”

“Oi. I’m here too. What’s up, Sasuke?” Naruto repeated.

“I’m just taking a walk.” He replied simply.

“Fine, then you might as well make yourself useful. Help Sakura with her books.” Naruto said, but when Sasuke shoved the jam jar into his pocket and reached for the books in her arms she pouted at him.

“They’re not even heavy. Why shouldn’t I carry them myself?” She challenged. Sasuke shrugged and backed off. Naruto looked irritated.

“It’s just being nice.”

“Why – because I’m a girl?” She teased, and now it was Naruto’s turn to shrug.

“Whatever. Let’s just drop them off already.”

She unlocked her door with great difficulty, refusing to let Sasuke hold her books even to use her key. Once inside, he let her leave the books by her desk and fished out the jam. He placed it in her hand.

“What’s that?” Naruto asked curiously, glancing at the glass jar.

“A family friend grows fruit and cooks a lot. I figured Sakura would like it.”

“Oh, thank you!” She said, blinking at the jar and smiling. Naruto looked between them and pouted.

“You didn’t get me one, unfair.” He muttered, and Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sakura seemed quite appreciative, giggling with the jar clutched in her hand.

“Actually – I have something for you too.” She disappeared into her kitchen. Sasuke heard her open a drawer and she came back with a white envelope in her hands. She stuck her hand into it and brought out two keys. Both he and Naruto blinked at her as he handed them one each. “I had to have a spare key made for my mom, but I went ahead and added two more. This way you can come visit whenever you like.” She smiled and then seemed to remember something. “Ah, but make sure to knock first so I know it’s you. Mom barged in earlier and almost gave me a heart attack while I was getting dressed.”

“Wow, thanks!” Naruto exclaimed, gripping the key tightly in his fist. Sasuke watched her with awe, not sure what to say. Naruto did however, asking her cheerfully: “Do you want a key to my place, too? I think I have one lying around somewhere.”

“Shouldn’t Hinata get one first?” Sakura teased, crossing her arms. He scratched the back of his head and grinned.

“She already does. Gave her one the first night she slept over.” His cheeks turned redder as he spoke, making Sakura gasp and laugh at him, commenting on how surprisingly sweet he could be.

Naruto thanked Sakura and excused himself, explaining he was meeting up with Konohamaru and needed to get going. Sakura and Sasuke followed him to the street where Sasuke turned to her.

“I want to continue my walk. Join me?”

Side-by-side, they strolled together through the bright streets of Konoha. The mood among the civilians was lively and some shops were already preparing for the upcoming spring festival, propping up signs painted with the cherry blossom.

“Are you going to the festival?” Sasuke asked Sakura. She glanced up at him.

“Of course, who would want to miss out? It only happens once a year.” She smiled. “We’ll all go! Right, Sasuke-kun?”

He considered it, assuming she meant their peers from their genin days. Truth be told he did not particularly want to spend a whole day with all eleven of them at once, trying to keep up socializing with all of them was quite draining. He would prefer if it were just her and Naruto. Naruto would most likely make it a date with Hinata, however. Thinking about it, Sasuke decided that if he was to attend he would like it to be just him and Sakura. ‘ _You go for the people who matter.’,_ Michi had said something like that. It sounded quite sensible when he thought about it like that.

“Sakura, would you be okay going with just me?”

She blinked at him. Her cheeks turned pink like the paint in the signs they passed and she looked away from him.

“Of… of course. I’d love to.”

He smirked. She was always so easily flustered. He let his hand brush against hers despite being in public and led her away from the crowded street to a more secluded pathway zigzagging up towards the mountain with the stone faces overlooking the village. Reaching the top, they stopped to enjoy the view. Their home was no doubt a beautiful place. The village was surrounded by vast forest, even from the distance Sasuke could see the leafy canopy flutter softly in the wind. People in the streets below looked tiny, although Sasuke could still see them in detail if he wanted to. They continued to walk over the top of the mountain, their backs facing the village below as they walked past the last round buildings of the village and found themselves on a narrow path through the forest.

Sasuke had walked this path many times. If you followed the trail for long enough you would reach a border wall, but the forest stretched far enough for the sounds of the village to be muffled and eventually completely out of earshot. He needed that kind of silence sometimes. It was a welcome break to be all alone with the forest around him. Something about having no other people around filled him with energy and made him calm. As they walked down the trail together, he felt a comfortable stillness come over his mind, and he slipped his hand into hers. Happy that she came with him he wanted her to feel his gratitude and pleasure at having her there with him. Her company was like the spring wind in the training grounds – cooling his head and reminding him about the present.

They eventually left the trail to explore more of the forest. Sasuke usually stayed on it but he did not mind. Beneath the trees they walked through the shade until they reached a small clearing where the grass basked in sunlight and hundreds of colorful flowers grew. Sakura got excited at the sight of it, pulling at Sasuke’s hand, pointing and naming the species as they passed them. She told him a story of how Ino had once used a flower as a shuriken when they were little and how cool she had thought she had been back then, laughing at herself and making him smile in turn.

When they had left the colorful clearing behind them the forest was denser and greener than where they had come from. It felt as if they were all alone for real now, as if the village was hundreds of miles away and the whole world was just the two of them and the nature surrounding them. Sakura stopped walking, looking around with something like quiet joy in her eyes. The green in them fit perfectly with the green of the forest, Sasuke noted to himself.

“I’ve never been here before. It’s wonderful.” She said, more to herself than to him. He squeezed her hand, wondering if she had forgotten he was there. Sakura turned her eyes onto him and made eye-contact. “Sasuke-kun.” She whispered sweetly and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as her smile reached them.

She took a step closer and took his other hand in hers. With the tips of her thumbs she caressed the back of his fingers, watching them as if she wanted to remember every detail on them. He knew they were far from soft or smooth. A lifetime of training and fighting had left them calloused and covered in small scars, tiny reminders of the labor he put into growing strong. Her hands were soft, but far from free of those little reminders of the life she lived. Scars covered her too. Not so large that they would be seen unless you knew where to look for them, but they were there. As she touched him, he felt the strength in her hands. Soft as they were, they were as well-trained as the rest of her, perhaps even more so. She had the hands of a healer; powerful, steady and carefully maintained.

He decided he liked those hands. There was beauty and meaning in hands that could both take and save life according to the needs to their wielder. Suddenly he realized that she was no longer looking at his hands – her eyes were on his again. Something about the way she looked at him made him take a sharp breath, having to steady himself under the longing on her. Her skin was already quite flushed, but the color deepened as he stared back at her. Sakura took a slow breath and finally opened her mouth.

“I love you.” She whispered. The words hung in the air around them, lingering and echoing in his head despite the gentle breeze making its way through the trees and foliage. They seemed so palpable they should almost be solid, the way they hit his chest and spread that nearly painful pressure over it. He swallowed. And he understood that he felt the same about her. The pink hair around her face moved with the breeze, and he could not help but to think of the blossom she was named after. Sakura only bloomed for a few days each year, their beautiful blossoms surrendering to summer as quickly as they burst out of their buds. And yet, the world was grateful for those days when the sakura waved with tiny petals from their branches. Each year, people celebrated and went out of their way just to gaze at them. Sasuke could finally understand why.

“And I… You… Sakura…” The words died in his throat. They left him and he felt as if he was failing her. He felt his eyebrows curl, his eyes burning, and he almost wanted to run away from her, but his feet were nailed to the ground and his hands might as well have been glued to hers. Thankfully, she knew him well enough to understand. She took another step closer and wrapped her hands around his back.

“I know.”

Sasuke put his arms around her. He clung to her, not knowing what else to do. The pressure in his chest pulsed and it was as if a sledgehammer was pounding against his heart. Overwhelmed and almost terrified he let her hold him as tight as she could, warming his front and bringing him back down to earth. The breeze brushed against his back, swirling his hair over his face. Slowly, he calmed down. Returning to his senses, he still wanted her near, where he could touch her. He buried his nose in her neck where he could breathe in the scent of her and the perfume she wore. She shivered under his touch, leaning back and placing a hand in the middle of his chest. Quietly, he let go of her back and pinched her chin between his fingers and his thumb. He gently tilted her head up so he could brush his lips against hers. They were slightly moist, warm even out of the sun.

The heat of her lips spread to his own and down his throat. Something surged through him and he wanted her so much nothing else seemed important. Without realizing what he was doing, he bit her lip and put both hands around her again. She gasped at the bite but still leaned towards him. Her gentle hands gripped the back of his shirt. Missing the feel of her skin against his, he searched for a way to open the obi around her waist. It fell to the ground with a small thud, and he opened her qipao for her. She let go of him to let him ease it off her shoulders before pulling his shirt off him in turn. Red-faced and biting her lip, she looked at his torso hungrily, but he led her back up to his face with his hand.

With their lips together again, he felt her hands around the back of his neck and she pushed herself towards him. The coarse fabric of the tactical bra scratched against his skin and for a moment he wondered how she could stand having it on all day. He opened the straps keeping it secure and pulled it over her head, noting that it left red lines where the edges of it scraped against her skin. He threw it away. He found her waist with his hands and let them wander up her sides and slipped them up against her where he could cup both of her breasts. They fit nicely in his palms, the soft skin of them against his rough hands were a lovely contrast. He pinched her nipples between his fingers and hoped she would like it. She gasped slightly and exhaled against his lips. Encouraged, he rolled his thumbs over them and enjoyed the noise she made in response.

Her hands tugged at his neck, and he took it as a hint that she wanted to lie down. After following her down to lie against the ground she locked her legs around his and rolled them both around so that he was beneath her. She laughed. Grinning back, he put his hands on her shoulders and rolled them back.

“Stay still.” He mumbled, still smiling as he nibbled at her neck. She giggled.

“I don’t want to.” Sakura rolled yet again, pinning him under her. “I’m too excited to just lie still.” She kissed him several times in a row – quick, playful kisses against his lips that made them tingle. Scootching forward she adjusted her legs so she could sit wide legged on his hips. He felt his face turn red at the feeling of her crotch pressing against his like that and he took a deep breath. Sakura noticed, arching her back and smirking down at him. “What is it? Something the matter?”

He was hardening quickly under her, and she clearly knew it was happening because her confident little smile just grew cockier. The sight of her half-naked and so certain of his attraction to her etched itself into his mind and got his heart racing, his brain malfunctioning for a moment until he got back control of himself. _I need to calm down. I feel like I’m losing my mind._ Yet, he did not want to come down yet. The need for her was like a high. Sakura seemed to enjoy her position, too. She rolled her hips and he nearly blanked out again. Growing unable to bear it, he put his hands on her hips and tugged slightly at her shorts. He saw her place her hands flat against his stomach and glanced up towards her face.

“Sasuke-kun… I think I like this position.” Her face was as red as his must be, somehow both maliciously excited over teasing him and shy at the same time.

“Then take your shorts off. They’re in the way.” He answered, smirking up at her with wonder at what a mixed bag she could be at times. At least they were on the same page now – she stood up and took off both her shorts and her underwear. Quietly, Sasuke hoped her tactical panties were not as scratchy as the bra. Mostly for her sake. Seeing her naked in the shade beneath the trees he felt a sudden urge to kiss every last centimeter of skin on her. When she climbed back on top of him, he caught a glimpse of the dark pink between her legs and wrapped his hands around her thighs before he met her eyes staring down at him.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked. She tilted her head, not comprehending what he meant. “Between your legs.” He explained. Her eyes widened and she got flustered.

“Eh? You want… Really?”

“I’d like to try.” He insisted, watching her for signs in case she did not want him to. She held her hands over her chest and shifted.

“Su-sure. If you really want…” She stuttered, and he smirked up at her.

“Where did your confidence go? I thought you liked this position?”

“Shut up, you jerk…” She muttered, but she let him lead her bottom towards his face, shuffling awkwardly past his stomach and chest until she was directly above his face. From this angle too, the dark pink nub and folds were quite cute. This close to it, even he could smell her, too. She smelled like her, but stronger. And there was a light musk to it, too. Curious, he put his lips against the little nub and listened to Sakura take a deep breath immediately. With his hands around her thighs he could feel how tense she was. He kissed it again, changing up his angle. He tried pinching the nub between his lips the way he would her bottom lip. With her so tense, it was difficult to tell what was pleasant so he kept trying to find a way that would get her more riled up. The lips between her legs behaved nothing like the lips on her face – they were far larger and did not move on their own. The hair tickled his face.

He eventually stuck out his tongue the way he would when their normal kissing heated up, trying to see how it would feel. She grew even more tense, but let out small gasps and a low moan, too. Encouraged, he licked at her nub. He had not expected much, but he was surprised to find it did not taste bad at all. It did not taste good, either. Not exactly. It was some weird, neutral in-between taste. The liquid that made her so slick was slightly sour and strangely savory but not in the way food was. The only way he could describe it was that it tasted like sex, the same way his boxers had smelled after their second time together.

“Sasuke-kun… I’m sorry. It’s too embarrassing.” Sakura whimpered, and looking up he saw her shy away behind her hands. Stopping, he let her inch back and lie down against his chest. He kissed her temple when she buried her face in his shoulder and stroke her back with his hands in a comforting gesture. Slightly disappointed she had not liked it, but more concerned with her getting comfortable with him again. After a few minutes she nuzzled her nose against his neck and looked him in the eye. He silently looked back, thinking the question he had for her, and she nodded. He put one hand in her hair and gave her a proper kiss. She relaxed in his arms again, returning it lovingly.

Sasuke stuck a hand between her legs to lightly rub her. Sakura leaned into it shamelessly and grabbed a hold of his shoulders to steady herself. He slipped a finger inside of her with ease, and she soon asked for the second as she had last time. He curled his fingers inside her and she moaned, leaning down to press her forehead against his headband in an affectionate gesture. He felt her hand on his wrist, leading his hand out of her, and then she quickly opened the zipper on his pants to get him out of them.

Something about being flat on his back when he slid into her felt incredible. He could not decide if it was the angle or the look of her on top of him, but she felt it too. As soon as he was penetrating her excitement got the best of her. She lifted herself up and down with her legs, pressing her palms against his stomach and closing her eyes. Her face was all scrunched up, concentrating, and he held on to her hips with both hands. This time he was the first to arch his back – his hips reaching to meet her bottom. He groaned as she picked up the pace, making shorter, faster movements. Her hands closed into fists on his belly and she moaned in turn.

His stomach knotted. The pleasure was becoming more than he could handle. Some small, still working part of his brain tried to tell him to hold back, she had yet to finish so he should not make himself useless just yet. But the sensation was overwhelming sensibility and when her legs began to tremble as her climax was approaching it was simply more then he could take. Something burst inside of him and he reached the top of his high, falling down into blind ecstasy for a few long seconds. Sakura kept going, possibly not seeing him finish through her own pleasure, and he shook from the intensity of it. Just after coming, he was so sensitive he could take no more, but she did not know that. After all she did not have that problem. All he could do was stop himself from throwing her off until she finally opened her eyes and saw the look on his face. Instantly, she stopped moving and put her hands around his face.

“Sasuke-kun?! Are you okay?”

He groaned, and she jumped off him in a heartbeat and kneeled next to him.

“What’s the matter? Did I hurt you?”

“I’m… fine…” He muttered, gazing tiredly at her. She looked so concerned it was almost funny, like she genuinely believed she had somehow broken him. To reassure her, he reached out his hand and touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. She frowned, glancing down at his crotch. Skepticism rolled over her face.

“Are you sure? Or are you just saying that?”

“I mean it. Relax.”

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. He tried to smile at her, she was so silly and stubborn it was hard not to be amused by her. He pulled his pants back in place and rolled onto his knees next to her.

“Lie down.” He half ordered, half asked her. She side-eyed him curiously. “You’re not finished, are you?” She shrugged, her mouth finally twisting upwards.

“It’s okay. We can go home.”

He raised his eyebrows at her, doubting it.

“Don’t be stupid. Fair is fair.”

“Hah! Are you telling me you want to finger me in the name of justice?”

“I would use my mouth, if you would let me.” He shot back, smirking as she turned pinker. Within a heartbeat she bit back however, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“You sure about that? You just added your own flavor to it.”

His eye twitched. She was not wrong. Seeing his reaction, she stuck her tongue out at him. Sasuke’s face twisted with amusement and bewilderment at her before saying anything else.

“… You are so annoying.”

Not giving her time to respond, he tackled her to the ground. She laughed, kicking her feet and clutching his shoulders.

“Aah, help! Sasuke-kun has gone savage!”

“Shut… up…” He could not help smiling, wanting to laugh with her. It was so stupid. He hid his face by putting it against her chest, staring down her left breast while he held her down. It jiggled as she kept laughing. Suddenly, she stopped and gave an exaggerated sigh, dropping her hands to the ground.

“Fine, I surrender. If it is for justice, then I suppose you have no other choice.” Her face looked ridiculously serious when he looked up at her.

“You’re such an idiot, Sakura.” He said, making sure his tone was gentle and affectionate.

“Maybe, but then so are you… And with Naruto in consideration we are on Team Idiot.”

“Not for much longer.” He pointed out, and her expression changed. She pouted.

“It’s going to be weird, isn’t it? I mean, I know that I’ll be busy but it’s kind of hard to imagine not going on missions with you two anymore.”

Sasuke frowned at her. He leaned his head on his fist, supporting his head with his elbow against the ground.

“We will get used to it.”

“Sure, but we will have way less time together. I’m going to miss you both.” Sakura said, her eyes trailing off. Slightly annoyed for real now, Sasuke flicked a finger against her forehead, hitting the little diamond full of chakra.

“Why would you miss me?” He asked and received no answer. Getting onto all fours, he crawled up so he could stare her down properly from directly above her face. “You just gave me a key to your home, and you think I won’t come see you?”

Her eyes widened under his, and they began to fill up with tears as she stared back at him. She sniffed.

“You’re right. I’m just being stupid.”

He looked at her, understanding how she felt.

“You’re the smartest woman in Konoha. Be a little prouder of yourself.” He encouraged. His words did not erase her tears, but at least she looked a lot happier from the praise. She rubbed her eyes and they both sat up. Sasuke watched her carefully. “Do you want to go home?”

“Yeah. Thank you, Sasuke-kun.”

They got dressed and followed their tracks back to the trail. Once back on the busy streets of Konoha, they were quickly stopped by a shinobi neither of them recognized. He bowed quickly.

“You have been summoned by the Hokage-sama. Please go see him right away.”

Exchanging a look, they thanked him and hurried towards Kakashi’s office.


	6. Hanami

Sasuke stepped into the Hokage’s office first, Sakura following closely behind him. Their old teacher sat behind a mountain of paperwork surrounding his desk. He looked the same as he always had, albeit that he seemed older than he should.

“Ah, good. You’re here.” Kakashi glanced between them. “Where’s Naruto?”

“We saw him earlier today. If you sent for him then he should show up.” Sakura replied, putting on a casual face. Kakashi leaned his masked chin against his fist, giving them a long look.

“While we wait for him… how are you two? We haven’t talked for a while.”

“Ah… We’re…” Sakura glanced at Sasuke, quietly asking him for what to say. He thought she would tell Kakashi about them as they had agreed to do before their next mission, but she looked away before he was certain she was thinking about the same. “We’re good. Being in Konoha this long has been nice.”

Kakashi held his eye on her long enough to make Sasuke wonder if he already knew and just wanted to see if she would open up, but the eye landed on him so there was no time to think too closely about it.

“I’m glad. Sasuke, congratulations on finally being recruited to the Military Police.”

“Hn. I assume you’ve had some sort of contact with my father?”

“Naturally. I keep in touch with all the clans. He came to me a year ago to ask my permission to pull you out of Team Seven.”

“He wanted to recruit me a year ago?” Sasuke was surprised to hear it, Fugaku had mentioned nothing as usual.

“Probably earlier, by the sound of him. However, to be frank you have been too valuable among our ranks to let go of. We needed time to prepare. He was gracious enough to agree.”

Sasuke looked at Kakashi, mildly surprised but pleased to hear it. It made sense. S-Rank missions were far from common, but they also had few teams able to take them on in the village, Team 7 being one of them. Being short on skilled staff could be detrimental should something show up at the wrong time.

“I see.” He said simply. He noticed Sakura looked unjustifiably nervous, glancing up at him, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Kakashi-sensei? Did you summon us to give us a mission?” She asked. Kakashi’s bored eye locked onto her but it did soften as he saw her act so tense. He gave her an encouraging look, reminding Sasuke of all the times in the past when he had used that look to gently push them to get out of their comfort zones.

“Yes. But I’d rather wait with explaining it until Naruto gets here.”

“It’s just that we were going to tell you something before you decide to send us anywhere. Since the team is disbanding anyway, we’ve…” She hesitated, her eyes wavering between the floor and Sasuke, seeming to lose her words in the middle of it. Kakashi closed his eye and smiled at her.

“I see. Good for you. It should not be a problem right now. I will hold off on disbanding you to get this done, so just consider this your last mission. The mission I have for you is A-Rank, but we do not expect it to be dangerous… and I do trust you two. The Kazekage requested you three specifically so I’m asking you to do it as a favor.”

“Hm.” Sasuke crossed his arms. Gaara was a personal friend of Naruto’s and it was not first time he had requested him and his team for business with the Land of Wind. However, that was usually in situations when he wanted to meet Naruto due to some crisis or high-stake conflict the Hidden Sand got involved with. None of their previous work of that nature had not been both difficult and dangerous. Speaking of the devil, the door opened behind them and Naruto stepped inside. Thankfully, he had not brought Konohamaru despite going off to see him after they had been in Sakura’s apartment.

“I’m the last one here?” He said, putting his hands behind his head and strolling up next to Sasuke. Kakashi looked at him with that same bored look he had worn earlier, scanning Naruto while showing a very minor interest.

“Now that you’re all here, let me explain. The Hidden Sand has sent us a generous gift for the Hanami festival; one of their most famous performers will be holding a concert in celebration of the blooming relationship between our countries. Gaara himself will be attending to make a public display of alliance, and he has asked for you three to escort him and the performer during their stay.”

“Gaara is coming to Konoha?” Naruto lit up.

“Yes. They are supposed to arrive tonight. I’d like you to go welcome him at the gates and take them to their residence, the hotel nearest this building.”

“Man, I haven’t seen him in ages! I hope he’s doing well.” Naruto said with a grin. Sakura smiled, leaning forward to look past Sasuke at him. He recalled her mention she wanted nothing too dangerous for her last mission with Team 7. _Sounds like our last mission will be exactly what you wanted._

After receiving wireless radios, they left Kakashi with his paperwork, heading for the main gate. After being checked off a list by the two shinobi guarding it they passed through the great open gates to wait at the edge of the forest outside where they would see the Kazekage’s entourage far down the broad road they themselves had walked countless times.

They awaited their clients in comfort. The day was still warm and bright, the ground underneath them soft and dry. Naruto went to fetch himself a branch and amused himself with carving it with a kunai, while Sasuke watched the clouds passing by and Sakura seemed lost in her own thoughts. Hours passed by peacefully. After so many years together nothing felt awkward anymore, waiting in silence came naturally after so many missions which required their discretion. Even Naruto had mastered silence, despite being a natural talker. The sky grew darker as the sun set, the color slowly changing from bright baby blue to deep orange, red and pink. When Sasuke began seeing stars against the ever-darker sky above, they finally heard footsteps down the road.

Standing up at the noise, he quickly identified the travelers as Gaara with two companions at his sides. One was his blonde sister, the other a green-haired man he did not recognize. The man with the green hair bore a heavy pack on his back and a brown case in his hand, unlike the light packing on Gaara and Temari. Naruto waved at them with a wide grin.

“Hey! Hey, Gaara!” He shouted, his face lighting up as they got nearer. Gaara did not wear his Kazekage robe, just simple red gear that fit the color of his hair. His face was untouched by the journey, no dirt or grime on his spotless face. He fixed his pale eyes on Naruto and his expression slowly changed.

“Hello, Naruto. Sakura, Sasuke. It is a pleasure to see you again.” He said, voice dark but friendly. Naruto took a step forward to offer him his fist and Gaara bumped it casually. He stepped back and gestured to the stranger accompanying him. “This is Eito Yotosoba. He is a singer from the Sand.”

“I prefer the term artist.” Eito said cooly, but he smiled politely and raised a hand to greet them.

“You’re the performer Kakashi-sensei talked about, then.” Naruto stated, putting his hands on his hips. He eyed the man up and down approvingly. “What kind of music do you make?”

“You’ll get it better when you hear it for yourself than if I just tell you. Do you mind if we get going? Shinobi may be used to walking for days, but my feet fucking hurt.” Eito replied, adjusting his grip on the brown case. Naruto nodded and led the way towards the hotel. He and Gaara walked side by side at the front of their little entourage, chatting casually with each other as if no time at all had passed since the last time they met. Bemused, Sasuke thought about how he and Naruto had not spent any time just the two of them in far too long. _Even if he is a massive pain in my ass, he is my friend_.

They escorted the Kazekage and his companions inside the hotel, where they gathered in Gaara’s room while Eito retired to his own room.

“I’m sorry for depriving you of the festival. If you would like, you can split into shifts so you do not miss all of the fun.” Gaara offered, looking mostly at Naruto.

“Thanks, man.” Naruto said with a smile, putting his arms behind his head.

“Is there a reason why you need jounin-level escorts, or did you ask for us just because of your connection to Naruto?” Sasuke asked bluntly. He did not hold any grounded suspicions, but he wanted to know if there was something they needed to be prepared to handle. There was nothing stopping Kakashi from assigning them B-, or even C-Ranked missions if he wanted to – it just made far more sense to use a team of chunin for that. This mission was A-Rank, and it must be classed that way for a reason. Plus, Gaara and Temari were no ordinary government officials; they were highly capable shinobi. Staring down Sasuke and his question, Gaara’s eyes were as blank as a scroll no hands had touched yet.

“Temari, would you keep an eye out for us?” He asked softly. Temari nodded, exiting the door. Gaara looked between them, stopping with his eyes on Sasuke’s. “I do not think there will be any danger. However, my spies have caught on to rumors of hostility towards the alliance between Fire and Wind. It is possible other countries might have an interest in sabotaging that relationship. Which means, there is a risk that a public display of friendship such as the one I intend to make during the festival could be interfered with.” He paused, letting his eyes glide onto Naruto. “Even if I doubt there will be any violence involved, it would be best if I could carry out my plan without any issues. I believe there will be long-term benefits to establishing the Hidden Sand as a valuable ally in the eyes of all the people in this village.”

Sasuke nodded. A-Rank missions were always in the interests of the village requesting them, and diplomacy being at stake was nothing new with the Hidden Sand. He trusted Gaara’s judgement. Their fight during the chunin exams had left its mark, but after ascending he had proved himself a highly competent and empathetic Kage.

Naruto took the first shift, and after that they took turns guarding the group, changing after each twelve hours. They had their radios on them at all times so that they could jump in immediately should something happen. It was boring work to just follow them around; Gaara spent more time in meetings with Konoha government officials than anywhere else. Temari disappeared each day claiming she could watch herself. Eito worked on writing a new song and refused to leave his room. They only went out during the evenings, visiting bars and restaurants, and Gaara generally made himself seen among the people. Sasuke observed them with disinterest during his shifts, alert but not particularly engaged with the group. Eito seemed to have a few fans already, getting recognized by excited civilians and giving them his time freely. The man loved to talk about his work. Whenever a fan asked about some song of his, he answered enthusiastically and in detail. Sasuke found it hard to relate to their excitement over music – he did not even own a CD player.

Finally, the first day of the festival came and fortunately for Sasuke Naruto got the shift over the day. He changed places with him outside the hotel rooms with him at noon and headed home, tired but intent on taking Sakura to the Hanami. The preparations had really paid off – everywhere he looked there were decorations and stands put up for the celebration. The parks where cherry trees stood were already crowded with people admiring the flowers. Many families were having picknicks and children played beneath the pink clouds of cherry blossoms.

At home, he found his mother waiting in the hallway. She was unusually beautiful in a blue kimono and with her hair held up with silver hairpins.

“Welcome home.” She greeted him with a smile. He looked her up and down.

“You didn’t say you were going to the Hanami.” He stated.

“I thought it would be nice. Fugaku-san had to be at work, but Inabi-san’s wife asked me to go with her.” She tilted her head. “Will you have enough free time to attend today?”

“Yeah, I’m just stopping by to get changed.”

“I’m glad, make sure you enjoy yourself. Mission or not, it’s okay if you stay out as late as you want tonight.” She said, brushing a hand over his shoulder as if to adjust his shirt.

“Hn. Sure.” He left her and went to his room, pulling out a decent yukata from his closet. He kept his weapons hidden under the dark, striped fabric and tied a grey obi around his hips to keep it in place. He heard his mother leave their home. Finding himself thinking yet again about her comment about it, he pulled a hand through his hair. Sakura had the whole day off; she was taking over guard-duty after Naruto at midnight. Knowing her, she was most likely spending a lot of time prettying herself up for today.

Frowning, he took his wireless radio and went into the bathroom. He removed his headband and gave his head a skeptical glare. Naruto had told him before that his hair looked weird, but he had never bothered to care much. _It doesn’t matter,_ he told himself _._ Still, he thought about Sakura’s full, silky head of hair and caved enough to pull a comb through his own. It still fell into the same old shape with the long bangs falling down his cheeks and spiking in the back, but at least it felt slightly softer than before so he decided it would have to do. Sasuke reattached his headband and clipped in the wireless radio where it could not be seen, the discreet earpiece tucked into his ear.

Just as he expected, Sakura had put effort into her appearance. Arriving a few minutes after one he opened her door with the key and found her pinning a dangling gold ornament into a white-and-black obi around a purpur yukata covered in printed pink flowers. As little as he thought he cared about appearances… she was undeniably gorgeous. To his great pleasure she was wearing the pin he gave her in her hair, too. She glanced up at him, turning to him with her hands held over her obi.

“Sasuke-kun.” She smiled softly, looking almost shy as their eyes met. Her eyelashes fluttered as she took a look at him. He wondered if she was going to call him handsome again, but she just seemed to relax and went up to the door without saying anything. They walked the streets together, glancing at the stalls but finding mostly tacky souvenirs and street food.

“Come on, let’s try to find somewhere to watch the flowers.” Sasuke prompted her when he got bored with the stalls and vendors. The streets were full of people, both civilian and shinobi. The Police Force were patrolling everywhere, no doubt keeping close watch on the crowds. Sasuke did not particularly mind his clansmen seeing him walking around with Sakura. He was convinced they had already heard all about their escapade through the compound by now. He simply nodded politely towards them as he always did when he caught one of them watching him.

They made their way away from the central streets. There were still quite a few people there, but it quickly became far less crowded as they approached the districts closer to the walled border. Rounding a corner, a pair of the distinct Uchiwa on the backs of two familiar men caught his eye. Sasuke recognized Itachi and his best friend immediately and picked up his pace to catch up to them, Sakura being quick to keep up with him by his side. Itachi and Shisui stopped and turned around.

It was rare to see Itachi not in his gear, even more so to see him in something so traditional as his black and red yukata with the Uchiwa both on his back and on both sides of his chest. Then again, it was rare for Sasuke to wear traditional garb, too. Shisui wore a similar dress, blue where Itachi’s was red, although his looked significantly older by the wear of the fabric.

Itachi did not seem displeased to see them, though he kept his expression blank and neutral as if it had been carved out of stone. Shisui was the one who gave them a proper, friendly greeting.

“If it isn’t Sasuke. I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.” He smiled, looking at Sakura. Sasuke did not have to look at her to know that she would blush. The term seemed somewhat childish, but he did not mind it. More interested in Itachi than Shisui, he turned to talk to him rather than answering.

“Nii-san, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Rare to see him actually enjoy his precious few hours off work, right?” Shisui jested, bumping his elbow against Itachi’s arm. Itachi met Sasuke’s eyes calmly.

“Shisui insisted on attending.” He said simply. His expression did not change noticeably, but Sasuke caught on to something happening behind Itachi’s eyes. As subtle as he was, Sasuke recognized the look indicating that Itachi was thinking.

“Don’t let him fool you – he’s having a great time.” Shisui muttered bitterly, putting one hand on his hip. He looked to Sakura again. “Anyway, I think I recognize you. I’m Shisui Uchiha. What’s your name?”

“Hello, Shisui-san. I’m Sakura Haruno. I think I’ve seen you in passing, too. You’re a jounin.”

“Pleased to meet you, Sakura-chan. Be kind to Sasuke, yeah?” Shisui grinned, and Sakura returned his smile with a polite little bow.

“We’re looking for a good place to watch the flowers, why don’t you accompany us?” Sakura offered. Shisui looked at Itachi.

“Let’s do it. I haven’t spoken to Sasuke in a while.”

Itachi nodded quietly and the four of them continued down the street towards a park high up the slope towards the mountain. The park was large, so the people having picknicks were spread out among the trees. The four of them picked a spot away from any civilians, right under a younger tree with hundreds of thin branches reaching out over them. The pink crown of it moved with the wind, swaying the branches above their heads. Looking at her, Sasuke thought Sakura looked exceptionally pleased. Kneeling in the grass she pointed her green eyes to the flowers above, her hair fluttering with them as the breeze touched her.

“Sakura-chan, huh. I see the resemblance.” Shisui commented, gesturing towards her head. She nodded.

“Mom and dad thought it was fitting. The cherry blossoms were blooming when I was born, so there’s that too.” Sakura kept her eyes on the flowers, while Sasuke found it difficult to tear his away from her. Even in front of his brother and clansman she could be effortlessly enchanting.

“Poetic.” Shisui sighed, leaning back. “Sasuke, Itachi told me that you’ll be working for Fugaku-san soon.”

Sasuke forced his eyes away from Sakura and confirmed it with a proud nod. Shisui seemed pleased, too. He eyed Sasuke with something like bemusement.

“I must be getting old... It feels like just yesterday that you were six, chasing Itachi around shouting ‘nii-san’.”

“Twenty-eight is not old.” Itachi mused.

Although he did not say so, Sasuke thought those days felt an eternity away – most of the time. Shisui had been Itachi’s closest friend for as long as Sasuke could remember. When he was little, he had been so envious of how much of Itachi’s attention he received. Itachi clearly admired him and they had a tendency to be in their own bubble when they spoke. Even after Itachi surpassed Shisui in skill they kept sparring regularly, and he often barged in on Sasuke’s sessions with his brother. Childishly, Sasuke had wanted Itachi to himself back then. He still relished spending time just the two of them, but he had still grown to like Shisui over time. The man was kind and he seemed to bring out a more relaxed side of his brother.

Shisui shrugged, looking away from Itachi but still smiling. Sasuke was beginning to wonder… He had never seen Itachi express any direct indications on their relationship being anything other than platonic, but Itachi was ANBU. If he thought he needed to keep something a secret then he would do it, even if it cost him. The reason Sasuke had suspected he might not like women had much more to do with what he did not do rather than what he did. For a start, he had always avoided female attention in a way not even Sasuke did. While Sasuke was uninterested in pursuing anything with anyone before he fell in love with Sakura, Itachi did not even seem to register girls taking an interest at all. On top of that, he avoided public baths like they were the plague. He only ever bathed with family if anyone at all. And then there was… just something.

Itachi did not move or give off the vibe Sasuke thought most men did. Certainly, he was very different and much better than normal men, being who he was. But besides his unique personality and being Sasuke’s favorite person it there was just something about him that he could not quite pin down. Something that made it far easier to imagine him taking a male partner than a female one.

“If you don’t mind me asking; what was Sasuke-kun like before the academy?” Sakura asked, her eyes on Itachi now. While Sasuke had not been paying attention she had moved closer to him, her feet tucked under her more casually than the way she had initially knelt. He took it as a sign that she was relaxing, and it pleased him to think so. The thought of her comfortable enough to be herself around members of his clan was an interesting one, and imagining it made him feel a spike of hope for the future.

There were no rules directly forbidding Uchiha from coupling with outsiders, but there was an undeniable gap between his clan and the surrounding village. It was not something spoken of out loud… but he could feel it. Passing through the entrance to the compound could feel like traversing between worlds, as if despite them always having been in the village they were not truly one with it. Because of that distance, invisible but palpable, it was very rare to see outsiders brought into the clan by marriage, and even when it happened, they tended not to be considered true Uchiha due to not having their bloodline limit.

Ultimately, the sharingan was everything. Even if many in the lower ranks never activated theirs, due to lacking talent or not reaching the right circumstances, it was an unspoken rule that all true Uchiha needed to have at least the potential for it. The black eyes were everywhere in the compound. At gatherings or clan meetings they made a sea of dark stares, searching for power for themselves and weakness in others. Sasuke glanced at Sakura’s green gaze and realized how much it would stand out in that sea. Her eyes were so bright, curious and void of ill intent. In spite of all the enemies they had fought he had never seen even a hint of bloodlust in them. He had seen them full of anger, desperation and fierce protectiveness… but never a desire to kill. She did not search others for weaknesses unless she needed to. Instead she looked for problems for the purpose of solving them - wanting to find ailments which she could cure. That was the biggest difference between him and her. While her nature was that of a healer, he was a fighter. He _did_ look for weakness, and he _had_ felt true bloodlust.

But despite that, she loved him. She accepted him as he was and if he ever asked her to, she would accept his clan regardless of how they treated her. Most likely she might even try to brighten up those darker parts of their culture, if not actively then by exuding brightness herself. _A spring breeze running through the compound, bringing fresh air to an old clan,_ he thought to himself _._ Most likely, a meddling woman like her would have a hard time gaining acceptance even if she did get to share their name. Especially not without the sharingan as a physical reminder that she was one of them.

Sasuke wondered if he wanted that for her. Sakura was sensitive to what others thought about her. It was possible that if she married him and was surrounded by people who saw her as lesser to themselves, she would become unhappy.

“Sasuke? Are you paying attention?” Shisui’s voice snapped him back to reality. He and Sakura eyed him curiously, while Itachi was calm and stoic. Sasuke blinked. Slightly embarrassed about getting so lost in intimate thoughts in the middle of a conversation, he crossed his arms and looked away.

“I was just thinking. Go on.”

Shisui gave him that same, bemused look as before.

“You know, you two really are alike sometimes. I don’t know how many times I’ve been talking about something and Itachi just stops listening.”

Itachi just looked at him, his head tilted slightly to one side. Sakura giggled next to Sasuke, reminding him of how close she was sitting to him. It was just the four of them and a bunch of civilians in the park from what he could tell, and their relationship was no longer a secret. Sasuke felt his face soften. It was nice to be so open, and it was comforting to feel he could be quietly honest in front of not just his brother but a clansman. He observed Itachi carefully and wondered if he could get this comfortable, too.

“Obviously. We’re family.” Sasuke replied, quite happy to be compared to his brother, even if it was over a bad habit. Shisui looked quite tender when he had said it, gentle warmth mixing with a tinge of sadness. The look passed over him quietly, his features shifting back to his usual friendly face within a few seconds.

“Sorry, I lied when I said I didn’t know about Sakura-chan. Itachi told me you had someone you liked a while ago.” Shisui said, straightening up to sit with his legs crossed under him. Itachi shifted too, adjusting his weight against the ground and looking attentively at Shisui and Sasuke. His eyes glanced over Sakura, too, and when Sasuke met them there seemed to be a question in the air.

“I see.” Sasuke said, registering the question he suspected Itachi wanted to ask him and feeling a small spark of delight over it. _He has something to say but needs to know if he can._ “Itachi trusts you a lot.”

“He better.” Shisui said with a smirk, his eyes wrinkling in mixed amusement. He seemed slightly confused by the sudden statement. That did not matter, Sasuke was communicating more with Itachi than with him right now. “I certainly trust him.”

“Well, I trust Sakura.” Sasuke tilted his head and gazed at Itachi to see what he would do. Itachi hesitated, something unfamiliar passing over his masterfully controlled face. He looked like he was letting go of something he had held on to for years, Sasuke recognized it from his own painful restraint holding off from Sakura. Tense and anticipating, he observed his brother carefully.

Itachi looked down, at the grass to his side where he did not need to face any of them. Sasuke thought he had not seen him seem that shy since they were kids, drinking in the unusual vulnerability. His heart beat with tense excitement, waiting impatiently for the answer to his question by the lake. After what could only have been a second, but felt like a whole minute, Itachi placed his hand on the grass between him and Shisui; his palm facing the sky and his fingers curled halfway into a fist. Sasuke’s interest piqued, wondering what it meant.

“Shisui.” Itachi whispered, not looking up or moving. Shisui glanced down at the hand and his eyes widened, clearly interpreting meaning in the hand on the ground between them.

“Itachi?” He asked, looking at him with wonder. Itachi nodded slowly, his eyes not leaving their spot on the grass, but his hand moved slightly closer to the man sitting next to him. Shisui took a final, uncertain glance at Sasuke and Sakura before he put his own hand in the same position next to Itachi’s so their thumbs overlapped. Itachi curled his thumb around Shisui’s, who did the same. Their thumbs hooked in a tiny, subtle embrace and Sasuke felt a victorious surge of gratification in his body. Unable to keep himself from grinning, he looked to Itachi’s face and was deeply pleased to see the tiny, almost bashful smile on his lips.

“Sorry. Are you uncomfortable?” Itachi asked Shisui, who tightened the small grasp around his thumb and leaned slightly closer.

“No. I’m surprised.” Shisui looked at Sasuke, then at Sakura. Helpfully, Sakura wrapped her hands around Sasuke’s arm and leaned against his side as if to show comradery in the public display of affection. Sasuke sniggered. Most likely they had never come out to anyone before, for one reason or another. In a sense, it seemed fitting that they as brothers entrusted this to each other before anyone else.

“I’m not entirely sure what’s going on, but you look good together.” Sakura giggled.


	7. Sex and Secrets

Following Sakura home after leaving the park was a given. Sasuke would have enjoyed spending the evening with Itachi and Shisui but his brother ran out of free time as always – forced to leave during the afternoon. Even so, Sasuke felt nothing but pleased about the short day at the festival. Itachi had someone he cared for and who made him happy. That alone was enough to put Sasuke in a good mood, and Sakura’s reaction had only spurred that on.

The way she looked in that yukata incited his decision, too. Once her shoes were off her feet he pushed her through her hallway, his hands on her obi and his mouth hungry on top of hers. Bemused, she followed along and let him take the lead. He stuck his fingers between the folds of the obi and tugged it open, dropping the heavy fabric to the floor behind him. With both hands he opened her yukata and wrapped his hands around her waist before he put his mouth against her shoulder – biting at it like he was starving.

“Sasuke-kun, what is happening?” Sakura giggled, not protesting in the slightest. “Why are you so suddenly…”

He interrupted her, too eager to bother listening to questions.

“I have to. You’re a good person.” Sasuke said quickly and without thinking much beyond about how her wireless radio was in his way. He unclipped it from where it was attached to her bra. She laughed at him, but she still let him continue as he pleased.

“What? That makes no sense!”

He plucked the piece out of her ear, turning up the volume to a maximum so they would still hear it if Naruto called and put it on her nightstand. He was about to do the same to his own when she went in to hug him, bumping against his chest where he kept it. Smiling, he grabbed her face and kissed her, grateful to her for returning his ravenous advancements on her. He grew hard under his obi, enjoying the anticipation of getting to touch her and to be touched by her, her eager response to his lust filling him with desire to reward her with kisses and thrusts.

“Sasuke-kun…” She moaned, grabbing at the front of his dress and pressing against him. The purpur yukata hung over her back, open in the front. Like Sasuke, she had pouches of shuriken, kunai and other tools strapped to her underneath it. They could stay – unlike the yukata and her underthings, they were no obstacle to what he wanted.

“Take off your clothes.” He told her, his voice low and shamelessly aroused.

Sakura took his head into her hands and drew him to where she could look him in the eye. She stared up at him while pulling his obi loose from his hips. The yukata fell open over his chest. Staring her down, still smiling, he pulled hers off her shoulders and she pulled at the straps keeping her bra in place. He removed his yukata while she pulled down her underwear, leaving her in nothing but her bandages and pouches. Sasuke realized it was quite the sight – to see her in nothing but standard ninja equipment.

She led him to sit on the edge of her bed, climbing on top of him with her knees on each side of his hips. Sakura held herself close, letting her breasts brush against his chest. When he tried to kiss her she leaned back, smiling playfully. He watched her to see what she wanted to do, and she put her fingers to the back of his head, wrapping them with his hair and pulling at it gently. She held him still and put her forehead against his, brushing their noses together. One hand left his hair and held his shoulder, squeezing it softly. Sasuke watched her, felt her, and let her movements sink into him. It was warm, romantic and erotic to have her tease him so innocently despite being nude. Her taking her time to enjoy him according to her whims made a warm fuzz spread through his chest. When she finally kissed him, he put his hands on her behind and heaved her onto her back. Straddling her, he stood on all fours above her on top of the soft covers. She was smaller than him. Her body was short and thin enough for him to surround with his own.

Sasuke took her hand in his, wrapping their fingers and pressing the back of hers against the cover. It seemed to excite her, a small gasp left her, and her pupils expanded. Her free hand wrapped around the back of his neck, her thumb stroking over his skin and she stared up at him with that gentle longing he had seen in the forest above the Hokage monument. He felt her legs move against the inside of his, and for a moment he wanted to bury his face between them, but he did not want to risk making her uncomfortable again. Not when she had been so kind to his brother.

Her legs slipped out from under him and she placed them outside his. Spread out underneath him, her face reddened, and she gazed up at him expectantly. Sasuke took in the sight of her, letting his eyes wander over her. He knew he could remember the image of her easily. His visual memory had never failed, but he still wanted to take his time taking it in. He leaned closer to her, his eyes on hers, and whispered gently to her: “Want to turn around?”

Sakura’s hand twitched in his. The aroused look on her face was priceless. She nodded and he rose onto his knees so that she could turn and get on her hands and knees in front of him. Part of him thought it should feel vulgar, but it seemed that the heat of the moment was enough to burn away his ideas of propriety and instead it felt perfectly affectionate to pull her bottom towards him. He pulled down his boxers and the erection his boxers had held back snuck up between her legs, resting against the slick folds of her groin. He reached around her hip and massaged her nub, slowly and softly to not overwhelm her, and her arms tensed – pushing her behind towards him. Emboldened by her reaction, he rolled his hips to stroke himself against her, holding back the instinct to bury himself in her.

“This… feels amazing, Sasuke-kun.” She mumbled. He bit the inside of his lip and gripped her hip in his free hand. The feeling of her against him like this felt amazing for him, too, it was growing more difficult to not enter her. Just as he was thinking that however, she angled her hips while he pushed forward, and he had to stop dead to not push inside her. His tip pressed against her entrance and he inhaled sharply. Sakura clutched the cover in her hands and made a sharp little noise. Feeling himself give in, he thrusted and felt a tremble run through his body as her warm walls swallowed him. He had to let go of her nub to stabilize against her hips. Sasuke could not keep himself from moving, though he kept his pace slow to ease her into it. She bent and lowered her front so her face could rest against her hands over the cover. “Aah…” she whined, closing her eyes.

He closed his eyes, and he could not help but to increase the pace. Sasuke was beginning to feel nearly helpless in the overwhelming passion taking her caused him, and the sight of her so willingly pinned down in his hands and looking so engulfed in pleasure _he_ was causing triggered an unexpected wave of fondness for her. He wanted to see her enjoying herself like this every day; happy, in love and wrapped up in physical bliss. Part of him wanted to tell her that – the words rang through his head and made the muscles in his hands hold on to her more desperately. _I’m in love with you. I never want to leave your bed._ Sasuke said none of it, but his body reacted to the words on its own. Sakura panted under him, her hands opening and closing around the fistfuls of fabric she clung to. Her eyes opened slightly, enough to let her see him through her eyelashes.

“Sasuke-kun… Please. Do it hard, okay?” She whimpered between breaths. Sasuke felt his heart clench at the plea. “I want it…” Her words pierced him like an arrow, spreading a burning heat through his torso. For some reason it was almost intimidating to do as she asked, as he wanted to neither hurt nor disappoint her. But the request was the hottest thing he had heard in his life, so he pushed through any hesitation with his heart racing and his lungs fighting for air as if there was not enough oxygen in the world.

The slapping noises from where their bodies met were absolutely maddening. Half-screaming, half-moaning Sakura shoved her face flat against the covers between her hands and muffled her cries. He did as she had asked and used his strength, his fear of hurting her slipping away from him as she leaned into it, clearly overcome with need for him to fill her with all his fervor. She pulled her face out of the cover enough to gasp for air, crying out to him.

“I’m… I’m…” Then, before she could finish her sentence her whole body shook, trembling and crying as she fell back onto the cover. He felt her spasms around him and could bear no more. Tensing up, he froze and involuntarily threw himself as far in as he could, clinging onto her hips for dear life as he blanked out and came with her. The muscles in his legs and his core jolted, causing his hips to jerk one last time, before he shuddered and fell off her. His entire body felt heavy as if it had been emptied of chakra, or possibly filled with led. So he helplessly laid flat on his back, eyes closed, and tried to come down calmly.

Sakura curled up next to him. She put her head over his heart and wrapped her arm around him.

“Shannaro…” She grumbled, sounding almost offended. His mouth moved on its own, making him smile towards the ceiling.

“Sakura, stay with me.” He looked down at her, and she looked up at him. “Even if it gets difficult, stay by my side.” It was a selfish request, but he had no other choice than to ask. He expected her to eventually have a hard time pursuing a future with him, but it was no longer possible to genuinely see himself walking down any other path. Wherever life led he needed to walk there with her, or it would feel like he lived incompletely. She had no hesitation in her eyes, either.

“What else can I do?” Sakura sighed. “My feelings can’t change so easily.”

She closed her eyes, her smile widening, and hugged him tighter. He wrapped his own arms around her, too. He understood what Naruto had meant back on the night of her birthday. He appreciated how it felt to be so in love he could no longer imagine not marrying her one day. She was his partner. Even when they disbanded and would no longer work together, they would still be a team. 

They remained cuddled together until their bodies had recovered. Her warmth gave him his strength back and he began feeling like normal in her arms. If he could, he would have liked nothing more than to fall asleep in her bed, but the clock was ticking and she had to be ready to pick up guarding Gaara, Temari and Eito after Naruto. Sasuke kissed her forehead goodbye before he went to take a quick shower, leaving her with the wireless radios.

Refreshed and dressed with the radio back against his chest, he pulled her into a kiss before he headed home.

“Rest. I’ll come a change shifts with you in the morning, but you still won’t have much time to recover before Gaara’s public speech and the concert.” Sasuke told her. They would have to work all three from noon to properly cover the Kazekage and his artist. Sakura nodded.

“I will. See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun.”

Coming home, he left his shoes and went to get back into his normal clothes. His body felt light and pumped with energy, but the many hours since breakfast caught up with him and his stomach growled at him. Stretching his arms over his head and enjoying the boost to his mood he walked towards the kitchen only to get interrupted on the way there when he passed the tatami room and heard his parents speaking. Usually, he would not intentionally listen in on conversations he was not invited to as a sign of respect, but something about the tone on his father’s voice caused a spike of unease to pierce through the lingering bliss from his time with Sakura. He stopped soundlessly outside the sliding door, concentrating on the voices leaking out of it.

“Mikoto-san, what is your opinion about all this?”

“I share your concern. It is a difficult situation… Though I still cannot help but think of Sasuke’s and Itachi’s happiness, too.” 

“Naturally. I’d expect nothing else.”

“Dear… Do you suspect the unrest will resurface?”

“I believe it is possible if not all of us play our cards right. Our family’s situation has always been like a minefield - even minor missteps can have significant consequences. And… and I dislike how little control I have over all this. Now more than ever the government has more influence over my own sons than I do and they themselves are not exactly cooperating with me.”

“Then I think creating the opportunity to spend more time with them is the right move. You need to understand each other to work together, Fugaku-san.”

Sasuke felt and unpleasant chill run down his spine. He did not recall hearing about any unrest, but he had to assume his father was talking about the clan. As his mother had insisted his father really did seem worried about something. _What does he mean by ‘minefield’? Are we in danger?_ Sasuke wondered what it all meant. He was being kept out of something, so he decided it would be best not to continue listening in secret. There was more information to be gained by making his presence known at this point. He stepped towards the door, making sure his footsteps could be heard again. He knocked on the door twice and slid it open.

“Forgive me, I overheard.” Sasuke copied how Itachi had entered the room during the argument between Sasuke and their father. Neither Fugaku nor Mikoto seemed displeased with seeing him.

“Ah, never mind that. It’s good that you're home. Sit down.” Fugaku replied, falling back into his usual voice while addressing Sasuke rather than just his wife. His parents sat on pillows on the floor, and he joined them quietly.

“What were you discussing?” He asked. Fugaku crossed his arms and took a moment to answer him.

“How to best prepare you and your brother for the future.” His father answered. Sasuke gave him a puzzled look before he continued. “I am planning to take you two on a trip as soon as the Hokage allows it, for that purpose. You might consider it training if you will.”

“A training trip?” Sasuke had never been anywhere outside the village with his family. The thought of it was far from unwelcome, but it was unexpected. “What about you, mother?”

“Mikoto-san is the best person to lead in my stead while I am gone. She will stay and keep things in order until our return.” Fugaku replied.

“How long will we be gone?”

“Including the time it takes to travel, approximately two weeks. We will be going to an old stronghold of our clan, a historic location that holds great meaning to our family. I want you both to see it before I retire.”

“Alright. Does Itachi know?”

“Not yet. I will tell him next time I see him.”

Sasuke nodded. It was rare for him to be the first to know out of the two of them when it came to family business but considering how little time Itachi spent in the compound lately it was not surprising. Fugaku eyed his son from head to toe, his arms still crossed. The folds under his mouth were as prominent as ever, making him look fierce, stern and old. It was no wonder the whole clan considered him somewhat of a father-figure – the man looked every bit like the patriarch Sasuke knew him to be.

“Father… what did you mean by our situation being a minefield? There is something you are not telling me.” Sasuke asked, keeping his voice low and carefully curious. Fugaku closed his eyes and bowed his head.

“I intend to tell you everything once we reach the stronghold. It is high time you are included in the more intricate matters of this family.”

Sasuke’s heart leapt at his father’s words.

“I’m… Thank you.” He whispered. Fugaku’s face did not change, even though Sasuke felt his own shift with the swirl of mixed feelings at finally being on the cusp of becoming equal to his father and brother. Fugaku nodded, still as nerveless as always, but Sasuke imagined he must feel some pride under the stark surface to offer him something so significant as getting to take part of how he ran the family. He received a long look when Fugaku raised his head again, opening his eyes, leveled with Sasuke’s.

“With that said, there is something I need to know from you in turn. It has been bothering me for reasons that will become clear in the stronghold – how serious are you about the Haruno girl?”

Sasuke frowned, disliking the turn of the conversation. He kept himself composed and watched for signs of agitation in his father, but he answered as honestly as he could.

“She’s important. I don’t want another partner.”

“Hm. I was afraid you would say that. Well, for now all I ask is that you reflect carefully about your future with her. From now on you need to be sure of how much you are willing to endure for the sake of having her.”

“That is not what you’ve seemed worried about.” Sasuke countered, the stinging their previous argument had left in him resurfacing for a moment.

“Hm.” Fugaku looked away. “Both scenarios are causes for concern, for different reasons.”

“And you will not divulge the real reason why pursuing her instead of some Uchiha girl is a problem until we are in some secluded, secret location with Itachi.” Sasuke stated. Fugaku met his eyes with his own and suddenly chuckled. Surprised, Sasuke gave him an indignant look. “What’s so funny?”

“When I imagined dealing with my sons’ girl problems, this is not what I had in mind.” He sighed, his posture relaxing. In an unusual display of informality, he uncrossed his arms and scratched the side of his head. “I thought you would be fourteen, maybe fifteen, and that the conversation would revolve around birds, bees and maybe getting you through your first heartbreaks. But neither you nor Itachi have ever been inclined to grow up acting like normal boys.”

Sasuke felt the temperature in his face increase. It was not like he could not have used a conversation like that back then, stumbling through his feelings and forcing them out of sight for years. However, as awkward as it had been to have Kakashi buy them books and trying to explain relationships that had nothing to do with teamwork, it would have been far worse to have to listen to Fugaku of all people talking him through the secrets of reproduction.

“It’s not like we’re abnormal.” He muttered, and regrettably felt his cheeks turn redder when his mother snickered at him from behind her hand.

“Hm. Well, I suppose the time for that conversation is long gone.“ Fugaku replied, unfazed by his son’s increasing discomfort. “Granted, you will keep your hands to yourself. I won’t accept my sons causing more inappropriate incidents.” At the mention of hands, he had to intently steer the disobedient sections of his mind away from just how much she enjoyed them. ‘Keeping his hands to himself’ would not be an easy order to follow knowing what they could do to her.

Mikoto seemed to grow curious, putting her palm to her cheek and giving Sasuke a wondering look. His heart sank as he realized she was about to corner him with her words.

“Have you been safe?”

He wondered if women had the ability to infuse their words with chakra, realizing that the question struck him as efficiently as a real, physical attack would have. He felt his skin burn like he had been licked by her Fireball jutsu. Truth be told he had not thought about it until now and admittedly, he had been quite careless in the heat of their moments together. There was no reason to worry since it was her, however. Sakura was trustworthy. With her expertise on the intricate workings of the female body she would talk to him about it if he needed to know anything. He remembered the book Kakashi had handed him when they were fourteen and reluctantly reading about the copper spirals all Konoha kunoichi were equipped with for the sake of sparing them troubles related to their reproductive organs.

“You have no reason to worry, mother.” He sighed, but that did not seem to settle her curiosity.

“How _does_ that work these days? Back in my day plenty of kunoichi had to end their careers early, but I have not heard of that happening in years.”

His eye twitching, Sasuke wanted to sink through the floor. Forced to answer his mother, he sincerely wished the conversation would end before anything even more personal came up.

“As… far as I know… all female ninja get some sort of implant. It’d be a nuisance for them to deal with bleeding during missions.”

“Oh, that does sound practical.” Mikoto said, smiling casually like he had just explained explosion tags to her and not standard-issue contraception. “Well then. If we are done talking, I would like to cook us dinner.” She got up off her pillow and went to the door. Sasuke followed her.

“I’ll help you.” He said quickly, grateful for the change of topic and with his hunger catching up to him again. Mikoto seemed delighted and accepted his offer.

Rinsing the rice while his mother chopped vegetables for a stew, Sasuke thought about Itachi. As easily as it seemed that his refusal to let the clan arrange a marriage for him was accepted, he could not help but wonder what reaction he would get if and when the clan found out about Shisui. Sasuke knew firsthand how it felt to try to hide the person you love from their family and he had only done that for a fraction of the time Itachi probably had. _At the lake he referred to him as the person he would like to marry. He would not do that hastily._ Sasuke frowned at the rice. It worried him. As far as he knew there was no law requiring marriages to be between a woman and a man, but he also did not know any couples of the same sex so he had no frame of reference for what difficulties they faced. It had been hard not to catch on to the judgmental comments that were occasionally thrown around about the topic, but Sasuke had always dismissed them as moronic blathering.

He threw the rice in a pot with salted water and set it to boil. While his mother finished chopping the vegetables, he brought out a large wok and heated it up with some oil. Quickly cutting a slab of meat to even cubes and crushed cloves of garlic with the knife, he began wondering if he was causing Itachi’s situation to complicate even further. He had no doubt one of the vital problems his father saw in him dating an outsider was that as the leading family of the clan they were expected to carry on the bloodline, and especially the unique abilities that came with it. The black eyes of the Uchiha were no doubt a dominant gene but with one outsider parent the risk of not passing it on was still enough to pose a problem. Sasuke assumed he would have children one day, although it still felt like it was too soon to think about it in detail. Still, back at the lake he had pretty much promised Itachi to make up for the inevitable childlessness his future would entail. He had said it more in jest than in seriousness, but if he did not treat it as a promise then Itachi would have little to defend himself with should the clan really put their minds to pushing him into a practical marriage. The least he could do is to support his brother when he could.

Sighing to himself, he fried the meat with the garlic and let his mother pour in the vegetables and water for broth once it was nicely brown. He adjusted the heat and let it simmer while he and Mikoto took turns adding spices. By the time the rice was just finished cooking Fugaku came to join them. Sasuke stirred the stew and Mikoto set the table, routinely putting out bowls and chopsticks for Itachi even though he was not home. She always did that, and always seemed disappointed when he did not show up and she had to put his back.

Checking if the meat was tender yet, he thought that he never wanted to be the reason for his brother’s unhappiness. Then again, trying to imagine letting the clan’s Elders pick a woman for him just filled his head with pictures of a heartbroken Sakura. His heart protested at the thought of it, burning and stinging painfully. He would be horribly unhappy too in such a scenario. _If it comes down to a situation where either or both of their happiness is up to my actions… what do I do then? What am I prepared to do then?_ Causing either of them a future without the love they wanted would be heavy on his conscience. He did not want that to happen, ever.

The stew was done. He checked the seasoning by tasting a spoonful of the broth and was satisfied with the result. Mikoto poured them glasses of water while Sasuke served his parents their meals.

“Apparently the Kage from the Land of Wind is closing the festival tomorrow.” Mikoto said, looking at her husband. “Will you go to see his speech, dear?”

“I will catch it, me and my officers have to keep a careful watch on the crowds. There is too much unsavory activity that goes on during these public events.” Fugaku muttered, beginning to look lost in thought. Sasuke sat down opposite to him and stirred his bowl of stew. He did not particularly look forward to tomorrow.

“It’ll be my last day working with Team Seven, most likely.” He said, holding off on eating even though his stomach clenched with hunger. There was an inexplicable need to get his thoughts out of his mouth before he let himself be distracted. “We told Kakashi about me and Sakura, so we’re disbanding.”

“Hm? Then how come he assigned this to you?” Fugaku asked.

“Because Gaara wanted us specifically. He couldn’t deny the Kazekage a direct request without a very good reason.”

“I see. Even though you fought him during the chunin exams.” His father seemed only mildly intrigued.

“Naruto befriended him afterwards. Somehow.” Sasuke replied, giving him the short, non-confidentiality-breaking explanation.

“If you have told Lord Sixth about it… does that mean you have made your relationship official?” Mikoto asked, her face beaming at Sasuke from her seat next to his father. Sasuke blinked at her. They had not said so explicitly, but if they were not a real couple by now… He supposed they must be. The realization spurred on a small surge of that bliss he felt when he just got home, before it receded from going into the tatami room.

“Hn.” He pushed out, not entirely sure if he could look Fugaku in the eye while saying so with his heart fluttering at the thought of it.

“Then why don’t you bring her over soon? She has yet to come see me and I would love to get to know more about her.” Mikoto said, glancing at her husband.

“If you want.” Sasuke answered tentatively and began eating his dinner, trying to ignore the way his father gave him a long, grave stare across the table.


	8. The Two Kage

The crowd was massive. Gaara looked quite impressive in his white and green Kage ensemble, led through the people of Konoha with Team 7 covering his front in a triangular formation and Temari a few steps behind him. There were no ANBU in sight, but Sasuke had no doubt Itachi’s comrades must be watching intently for any sign of disruption. Gaara had made it clear that this was an important event in instituting the bond between Fire and Wind in the minds of the general public. To drive the point home, Kakashi would wait for them by the stage.

Sasuke kept his eyes scanning their surroundings, searching for anything even slightly suspicious or out of place. The Police had prepared a fenced path for them to pass through, but Gaara took his time making sure the people got to catch a good look at him, walking at a calm and steady pace.

They reached the tall wooden podium built for the occasion; electronic speakers attached to the pillars of it. Kakashi and Eito stood at the base of it and when they reached him, the two Kage bowed ceremoniously to each other before receiving their microphones. Sasuke took his position at the top of the podium according to plan, standing where he could see their surroundings with no hindrance. Naruto and Sakura stayed on ground level, keeping their own eyes and ears open while Naruto kept track of chakra signatures. When Kakashi and Gaara reached the front of the podium where the crowds could see them, a cheer ran through the masses. Many waved at them while some threw flowers towards the base of the podium. Sasuke let his sharingan spiral into place to catch it quickly if any of the objects thrown would turn out to be something other than harmless symbols of admiration.

Gaara raised one hand towards the sky and the cheering increased significantly. When the noise settled down, he finally began speaking.

“Hidden Leaf. Thank you for welcoming me so kindly.” He made a long, intentional pause, and another wave of cheering passed through the spectators. “I will intrude on that kindness and tell you all something personal. I am the leader of my village now, but the first time I entered this village I was nothing more than a wounded child. Growing up, I was constantly hurt, insulted and excluded. The slights and pain caused to me in my past drove me to cause pain in turn – I thought that the only way to respond to being wounded was to harm others back… I was severely wrong.” When Gaara paused, the crowd was silent with him. Sasuke caught a glimpse of a small group of Military Police standing in the distance, their eyes as red as his and fixed on the Kazekage next to him.

Gaara bowed his head, his arms to his sides.

“For my foolish actions, there is not enough humility in the world. Nor is there enough gratitude for the way Konoha shinobi saved me from continuing down that path and seeing the truth: the only way to respond to pain is healing… And that can only be achieved by opening your heart to cooperating with others.” He turned his head towards Kakashi and gestured towards him. “In the past of our countries, there has been far more hurt than any one person could ever experience. In response, we have every intention of working together to forge a bond strong enough to heal the past and build a blooming future for all our people. The Hidden Sand has every intention of returning Konoha’s kindness. I ask you for your cooperation; every single one of you. Hear me and help me fan the flames for a peace that will last forever between us!”

The crowd exploded as Gaara closed his mouth. The noise hurt Sasuke’s ears, but he remained focused on his task. There were still no signs of danger, but the longer he looked the more pairs of red eyes stared back at him. Now it was not just officers, who had every reason to use their Eyes to keep track of the massive crowd; he saw several normal shinobi and even a civilian or two glaring crimson. It seemed strange, not that his clansmen were attending the event, but that so many of them were using their sharingan. _Perhaps they just want to memorize it,_ he thought, unconvinced by his own guess. Something about the red eyes in the sea of people turned his gut.

Kakashi raised his hand now, urging the crowd to quiet down. Sasuke heard him clear his throat.

“Thank you, Kazekage-sama. Thank you all for listening, go enjoy the remaining festival now.” He said, smiling behind his mask. Sasuke sighed. _That’s way too casual, Kakashi._ The crowd laughed and shouted and threw more flowers, and he could see the red eyes turn fade away and disappear.

Sasuke followed the two Kage down the stairs and was quickly joined by his teammates.

“That was a nice speech, Gaara-san!” Sakura said, cheering with the crowd.

“Yeah, that was so cool!” Naruto agreed, grinning and offering his friend a high-five. Gaara smiled and slapped his palm against his. Sasuke deactivated his sharingan but kept his guard up. He did not want to hold any suspicions based off his clansmen’s behavior, that felt like a betrayal, but he still felt uneasy.

“Stay focused. We aren’t done yet.” He ordered, ignoring Naruto’s protest over him taking the lead. Eito had his guitar strapped across his chest, and a small microphone was taped to his cheek. “Ready?” Sasuke asked him and Eito waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

“Let’s give the people what they want.” He mused, tapping his fingers against the side of his guitar as he ascended the stairs. Irritated, Sasuke followed him back up the podium and took a place further back to keep the attention on the musician. Eito waved and grinned at the people below, who yelled their excitement back at him.

“Konoha!” He shouted, laughing when they cheered for him. “Thank you for the Hanami. It’s really beautiful! You have so many trees I can hardly believe it – if you ever feel crazy enough to come visit us in the desert then do us a favor and bring a branch or two, yeah?” Now laughter and applauds spread through the people at his simplistic joke. “I think our honored Kage have had far more interesting words than me to say already… How about some music?” The crowd encouraged him with a long applause and Eito began hitting the strings on his guitar.

Uninterested, Sasuke watched the crowd. The music was impossible not to hear, but he had no time to listen. He wanted to know if his clansmen would be repeating the inexplicable use of their sharingan. Empowered by the speakers, Eito’s voice rung through the open area.

“ _What a thing, what an amazing thing. Diving into love without a thought._

_It is so fearless and so kind, but it is ruining my mind. At least tell me that it’s the same for you, too._

_I am not asking for you or even for your hand. I could not bear if I did something you cannot stand._

_But even so it is stronger than I am._ ”

Looking at a rooftop far away he caught a glimpse of what was unmistakably the distinctive gear of an ANBU member. Whoever it was disappeared too quickly for him to catch even the features of their mask. Sasuke dismissed the sight, he already knew ANBU members would be everywhere to keep both Kage safe.

“ _Where is my brain? Did it rot from my pride? How are you calm and so relaxed?_

_I could not keep it up and now it’s like we’ve both been drowned. I have no way of talking this one out. The only thing I know how is to lash out._

_I am not asking for you or even for your hand. I could not stop what I did, I was too unprepared._

_But even so it is stronger than I am._ ”

He activated his sharingan again just to be safe, but the unease he felt began to seem unjustified.

“ _You forgave every bit and you made me see right. This piece of trash that I was could be taken back._

_You’re an amazing person – do you know that? I’ll fall in love with you again, if you would give me the chance._

_Even if I fear real joy, you’re the bravest one I know and thanks to that I know I’ll never be alone._ ”

Eito kept clinking away at his guitar and the crowd ate it up while Sasuke wanted to know where this was going. He trusted his instincts and it was unusual for it not to pay off to listen to them. It was strange. He remained suspicious throughout the rest of the concert, his body tense and his mind on high alert. Following Eito down the stairs was only a minor relief.

“We still need to escort Gaara and Kakashi back inside.” He said simply to his excited teammates as they resumed their formation with Kakashi walking next to Gaara. Hitting the button to his radio connected to Naruto’s and Sakura’s, he muttered low enough into it to avoid the others hearing. “Something is off, but I don’t know what.”

The people were even more excited than before the speech, waving and shouting as they passed them down the fenced path. Sasuke ran his eyes across every face but saw nothing suspicious.

They reached the Hokage’s office with no incidents and closed the door behind them. Gaara pulled off his hat and looked more like himself again.

“That went well. Thank you for your help.” Gaara said, and Kakashi nodded. Sasuke took a step forward.

“I saw something in the crowds. We have to continue being careful until you are on your way home.” Sasuke reported, eyeing Kakashi as much as Gaara.

“What did you see?” Sakura asked, but he could not answer her without risking outing his clansmen in front of their guests from the Hidden Sand - who had no business knowing about them using the sharingan at the public event. He frowned. _I should keep this to as few people as possible for now._

“I didn’t quite catch it.” Feigning frustration, he sighed and ran his palm over half his face as if he wanted to scratch his head or brush away his bangs and looked directly at Kakashi when his hand covered his left eye – where Kakashi had his sharingan. His old teacher did not move, but he did seem to get the hint. Kakashi nodded.

“Alright. I will leave it to you to investigate the matter. Naruto and Sakura will remain with Gaara until he leaves the village tonight.”

Sasuke bowed and left them. _Something is happening and it involves the clan._ He traveled over the rooftops to keep a broad view on the village below. Even from his tall vantage the noise from the hordes of people below was loud enough to cover the noise from his feet sprinting against the hard, tiled roofs. _Does this have anything to do with the unrest mother mentioned?_ He jumped between buildings with ease. The Kazekage would be in the village for a few more hours, but something in his gut told him Gaara’s diplomatic ploys were not his main problem. _I must speak to Father… No, to all of them as soon as possible._

As he suspected his clan seemed anything but calm when he reached the Uchiha compound. The people on the streets were huddled in groups, talking in hushed voices and their body language betraying the unease they must feel. Some seemed worried, others angry. He threw the option of questioning them out as it might accidentally signal that he was not on the same page as them and reveal how little he knew. Growing angry himself, he dashed away from the compound towards the Police headquarters.

“I need to speak to the captain. Where is he?” Sasuke asked the first uniform-clad officer he saw in the entrance hall of the Konoha Police Station. The place was nearly empty except for the receptionist and two officers sitting behind desks next to her.

“He’s still out… Sasuke-san.” The officer eyed him, lingering on the Konoha forehead protector. “His squad should return soon, though. You can wait for him in the conference room.”

Sasuke nodded and walked down the hall until he found the correct room. He left the door open to hear what was happening outside. Leaned against the wall behind the door, he took a minute to analyze the situation.

 _Is it possible there is something going on between us and the Kazekage?_ He did not like the thought of it. The Kage was arguably the most important person in his village, and even if there was some odd strife between the Uchiha and a foreign leader that would be immensely dangerous. It would not only mean they had an entire nation of shinobi as their enemy, but it would also put their own country in a situation where they might have to disassociate with the clan in order to protect international relationships. However, it also made no sense. _For what possible reason would we even end up in a conflict with another country’s Kage? It is far more likely discord would arise between a clan and the Hidden Village they are part of._ Sasuke bit his lip. _Is that it then? The Uchiha has some sort of conflict with Konoha? If that’s the case then why do I know nothing while so many know enough about it to have reason to activate their sharingan just from hearing a speech, not even made by our own Kage?_ His head span with the disturbing thought of it. Especially disturbing was how it seemed even low ranking Uchiha knew more than he did. _Father…_ _what have I been kept out of – and why?_

Whatever it was, it was of outmost importance that he finds out. Beyond needing to know if there was even the slightest risk of any among them taking actions against the Kazekage, in which case he would have to stop them, he had to understand what was happening in his family. _Or worse, if something could happen to my family._ He clenched his jaw too hard, his teeth sinking into the fleshy inside of his lip and drawing blood. _If father meant it when he said our situation is like a minefield, then they might really be in danger._ The image of their faces came unbidden to him, swimming behind his eyes and his heart clenched with need to protect them.

 _Tch._ He felt a pulsing pain emerge behind his temples. _Father wants me willing enough to sacrifice myself protecting the family to teach me the fire-cloak jutsu, but he is keeping me out of vital information._ Whatever his reason might be, he had no doubt his father was the one responsible for keeping him in the dark.

Finally, he heard voices and heavy footsteps approaching the conference room. Stepping into the hallway he made himself seen and caught the attention of Fugaku leading a group of five. Fugaku himself did not seem disturbed, but the men behind him were a different story. They spoke in low voices between each other, their black eyes filled with something dark and tense. Inabi was among them and Sasuke had never seen him so enraged.

“I need to speak to you right away.” Sasuke demanded, placing himself right in the middle of the hallway to block his father from passing. Fugaku stopped in front of him and nodded.

“Alright. Follow me to my office. The rest of you wait for me in the conference and we shall discuss this.” He ordered his men and stepped around Sasuke, leading him inside a room that might have been spacious had it not been for the shelves and filing cabinets lining the walls. Sasuke closed the door and faced his son in the middle of the room, standing before the Police captain’s massive desk.

“I am assuming you have questions.” Fugaku sighed. The anger in Sasuke surged, but he kept it under control.

“Why did our clansmen use their sharingan during a speech from the Kazekage?” He asked, his tone cold but collected. Even in full uniform and standing in the workplace he ran it was impossible not to see Fugaku as his father first and the captain of the Police second. That was enough to stir Sasuke’s feelings more than it should – he was here as a shinobi, not as a son. And yet, he loved his father too much not to be disturbed by the way his face changed in front of him. Sasuke kept his own face under careful control and he tried to pinpoint exactly what was crossing his father’s mind. _Sadness? Regret?_ He could not say for sure, even as Fugaku’s shoulders sank slightly from their proud stance.

“It was an emotional reaction. They misunderstood him and were infuriated by what they thought he said.” He finally answered, meeting his son’s eyes. Sasuke made sure to keep himself unfazed.

“Why?”

Fugaku crossed his arms, breathing slowly and closing his eyes. Sasuke gave him time to think but remained determined to get information out of him.

“I intended to explain everything in detail when it was just the three of us away from all this… but I suppose there is no avoiding telling you some of it now.” Fugaku opened his eyes again. “The way he spoke of cooperation and putting the past behind him sounds too much like encouragement to close the gap between Uchiha and the rest of the village. That is… a sore spot for many of us.”

Now Sasuke crossed his arms and took a broad stance, unintentionally mimicking his father.

“Usually, I respect that I will not be let in on everything. That is to be expected. However, there is something vital going on which you have withheld from me. This time you need to tell me, or I can’t help.” His own words stung slightly – he _wanted_ to be part of everything that happened with his family and his clan. The fact that he had resigned to not expect inclusion in everything had come more from realizing the necessity of it than him being okay with it. He and Fugaku exchanged a long look, quietly reading each other.

“Very well. Not everyone in our clan are satisfied with the amount of influence we have in the village. Many want more, and the Konoha government are aware of this. I do what I can to maintain a positive relationship between us… but I admit to my approach having been flawed in the past. Because of that… the village wants us to just cooperate with them while those you saw in the crowd want us to push for more political power.”

“And they thought the Kazekage was telling us to back off on behalf of Konoha.” Sasuke summarized, unimpressed by what he was hearing. _Something tells me this is barely even a fraction of the full extent of it. The puzzle is missing too many pieces._ “That’s unlikely. Gaara’s interests are those of the Hidden Sand’s, not the Hidden Leaf’s. Kakashi would not involve him in an internal matter of Konoha’s concerning a couple of power-hungry clansmen.” Sasuke lowered his brows. “This issue is far greater and more complex than you’re letting on.”

“…Yes.” Fugaku admitted, clenching his jaw. “I would prefer if you do not press further just yet though. I meant it when I said I intend to tell you everything, but it will be safer to discuss it in full while we are away from the village. If you show some patience, then I will fully include you in solving this for good.”

The offer was on the table, and Sasuke weighed between accepting it and pushing for more immediate answers. Perhaps it would be beneficial to know more sooner, but waiting and following this up was a way to get all the information he wanted without causing a conflict between him and his father… and by the sound of it, get more influence over the course of things in the long run. He nodded, choosing to play the long game.

“Fair enough. Though I am going to have to report back to Kakashi, and I suggest you keep our people in line.”

Fugaku scoffed. 

“We will talk more later, then. See you at home.” Sasuke left his father and the station with less anger than he had entered it, but his troubles were far from over.

He returned to the Administrative Division where the Hokage’s office was located, only to find Naruto and Sakura stationed outside the closed door of a meeting room.

“Kakashi-sensei and Gaara are meeting with the village Elders right now. Did you find anything out?” Naruto asked, leaning against the wall by the door. Sasuke nodded.

“Yes. There is no danger to our mission.”

“Good.” Naruto tilted his head, and a smile slipped onto his face. “Man, this mission is the easiest we have had in years, huh.”

“I don’t mind, but it’s not what any of us expected, is it? It would have been fun to leave the village together one more time.” Sakura responded, smiling gently but crossing her arms.

“Nothing is stopping us from traveling together in the future. If we put our minds to it, I’m sure we could find a reason to get out there again.” Naruto said with a grin. Sasuke huffed, but the idea was not terrible. Seeing the world was very rewarding, and though he was not prone to admit it being on the road with Naruto and Sakura always ended up getting exciting. Difficult and dangerous more often than not, sure, but that was true for everything in a shinobi’s life. At least when they were on missions, they faced those challenges together.

They waited patiently for the meeting to end, Sasuke watching the outside through a window. Whatever the Kage were discussing was taking a lot of time.

“If you had to pick a favorite mission we’ve been on, what would you choose?” Sakura asked both of them. Sasuke turned around, leaning against the windowsill.

“Hmm… that’s a tricky one. It was real fun when we went to the Land of Water with Team Eight.” Naruto murmured, scratching his chin. “Remember training by that waterfall? Man, that was great!”

“Did that even count as training? All we did was throw rocks and splash around in the water.” Sakura said with a laugh. “Except for you and Sasuke-kun trying to drown each other.”

“Of course! Don’t you remember how awesome it was when Hinata showed us her chakra control? She was even better than you back then.”

“ _Back then_ , yes.” Sakura grumbled enviously, but quickly regained her happy appearance. “I think my favorite was finding Tsunade so she would become Hokage.”

“Oh yeah, that was when Pervy Sage took me as his apprentice! That was great!”

“Plus, we really needed a win after the catastrophe that was our first chunin exams.” Sakura said nervously, scratching her cheek and glancing at Sasuke. He could not disagree with that. Orochimaru had screwed them all over. Royally. He was grateful that it had turned out no worse than it did, though. As terribly as the cursed mark had fucked with him, the ordeal had ultimately led to his clan taking out one of the worst enemies of Konoha, so he supposed that from an objective stance it had been worth it. Although he had been unconscious at the time, he had heard of how Fugaku had led every Uchiha fit to fight into battle against the snake as soon as he tried to escape after murdering the Third Hokage, and Itachi had been hailed as a hero for months after presenting the evil Sannin’s nearly unrecognizable corpse to the village Elders. Even now, years later, it lit a spark of pride in Sasuke to know how his family had wiped the floor with someone so powerful.

Naruto brought him out of the memory by pitching in: “What about the first time we went to the Hidden Cloud? That was pretty great… Man, I wonder what Little Princess is doing now. Is she happy with her wife, you think?”

Sasuke scowled. Naruto’s ‘ _Little Princess_ ’ had been no more than an irritating young woman with a wealthy family.

“Does it matter? It was an arranged marriage between lords.” He muttered. “Besides, that’s not our problem now.” Naruto snorted at him.

“You’re still pissed after all this time? Just because for once, you were not the center of a girl’s attention…” He teased, but Sasuke gave Naruto an unimpressed look. Naruto rolled his eyes. “Oh, get over it! She was a good person, even if she did kiss Sakura.”

Sasuke grimaced at him. Some small, petty part of him still wanting to claim he had not been jealous… like he had insisted at the time. But Sakura took their attention with a giggle. When Sasuke saw the color on her face he raised an eyebrow at her, she waved her hands in front of her defensively.

“It didn’t mean anything! Even if… it was kinda flattering, I admit. She was just all upset and vulnerable because she didn’t want to be forced to marry a man.”

“Oh, please. She totally had a crush on you.” Naruto shook his head. “I’m surprised she didn’t make a move on you before that, considering you shared a tent.”

Sakura stared at him, her mouth slowly opening.

“That… Wait. Maybe she did?” She dropped her eyes to the floor and tugged at her hair. The two men glared at her, Sasuke feeling his eye twitch as she dismissed whatever she was thinking about despite blushing over it. “But it’s totally normal for girls to be close! You just don’t get it.” Sakura laughed.

Now _she_ was the annoying one.

“Just because she’s a girl it doesn’t mean that her feelings for you were any different than a man’s” Sasuke muttered sourly. The whole situation had been irritating enough when it happened, he did not need to be reminded and given another reason to argue with Sakura about it.

“Haha… I wonder if my special version of Sexy Jutsu would have worked on her…” Naruto said suggestively, aiming the comment at Sasuke. He froze in response and shot a death-glare at him, half-begging and half-threatening him to shut up and take back what he just implied. Unfortunately, Sakura caught the exchange and put her hands on her hips.

“Excuse me?” Sakura growled. “Is there a _particular_ reason that would work on her?”

“Uh… B-because… She liked girls?” Naruto laughed nervously, realizing his mistake just slightly too late and trying to back-track. His eyes were blown wide and he tried to fend her off as she approached him. Sasuke took a step back, almost pitying his friend… but not enough to interfere. He _had_ tried to warn him back then – that his ‘ _Sexy Sakura_ ’ would get him killed if she ever found out about it. Sparring in a clearing far away from Konoha while Sakura watched the ‘Little Princess’ they were charged with escorting to her intended in the Land of Lightning Naruto had charged at him, waving the signs for his pervy transformation. Sasuke was not deterred, ready to strike whatever unrealistic henge he came up with and beating the daylight out of him. He sprinted forward, lifted his foot to deal a hard kick to the side of Naruto’s head when he saw pale skin and pink hair and slipped on the ground as his body reflexively tried to avoid hitting her. Excruciatingly aware of how he fell for it, he rolled and bounced back to his feet only to stare right into the jade eyes of a fake Sakura in nothing but pure white underwear, clutching what looked like her qipao dress in her hands in front of her chest as if she was trying to hide behind it. Fixed on the accuracy of her face, he hesitated, and Naruto got the chance to fling himself at him.

When fake-Sakura bumped into him, he felt something snap inside of him. Naruto’s version of Sakura felt nothing like the real person. Her arms and torso were way too soft and squishy. Humiliated and angry, Sasuke clutched Naruto’s throat with both hands and tried to suffocate him out of the transformation.

_‘What the hell are you doing?! Transform back or she will murder you when she finds out!’_

Naruto tried to say something but all he got out was a deep, gurgling noise of protest and he did not break the henge until Kakashi dashed in and broke them apart. Their sensei was furious and slammed them both against a tree where he could scold them. Wide-eyed and horrified, the two boys froze under the grown man’s wrath.

‘ _YOU CALL YOURSELVES SHINOBI WHEN THIS IS THE LEVEL OF RESPECT YOU HAVE FOR YOUR COMRADE?_ ’

Enduring that lecture, pressed against a tree with Kakashi yelling just inches from his face had been painful to say the least. The only comfort had been that it would have been far worse if it was Sakura who had caught it happening. As he was suddenly reminded in the present, where Sakura was slowly turning towards the culprit with raised fists, cracking her knuckles.

“Naruto.” She purred, her voice deceptively soft despite the clear signs of rage on her face. “Did you transform into me, by any chance?” 

“I’m so sorry!” Naruto shot a desperate look in Sasuke’s direction. “I just… I was just trying to get a reaction, okay? I wanted to win and… and I swear I didn’t show him much!”

“I see.” She said sweetly, but her tone transformed within a heartbeat. “What the hell do you know about how I look, anyway?!” Sakura yelled, slamming her fist into his jaw and sending him flying through the corridor. Still fuming, her hands shook as she held them in the air in front of her. “Idiot!”

“Phew.” Sasuke said, admiring her aim. Naruto had flown right through an open door and hit the thin line of solid wall between two windows. When he felt her glare on him, sweat trickled down his back. Thankfully her anger seemed to subside somewhat, making room from awkwardness on her features as she started to act flustered. She looked so much like her younger self… always clinging to him only to be embarrassed once she did get his attention, Sasuke almost felt nostalgic about it.

“Wh-what did he show…?” She muttered, looking right at him. Her fist was still raised dangerously, but not being one to miss out at a good shot at teasing her, he took his chances and smirked somewhat wickedly at her.

“Don’t worry. It wasn’t accurate.” He told her, not untruthfully. Neither of them had ever seen Sakura naked at that age, but he clearly remembered Naruto making her far softer than the real person. Where the real Sakura was athletic and toned, he had made her all squishy and… exaggerated her more feminine traits. Despite the sight of it stunning him in the moment, Naruto had felt nothing like her when he threw ‘her’ arms around his neck, snapping him back to his senses.

Sakura turned tomato-red, her angry glare flickering and surrendering under his much calmer stare. Huffing, she tried to reset her face and retook her position guarding the door. It was clear she had little control over her emotions, however. Sasuke relaxed, watching her from his side of the hallway. Soon she was pouting, glancing over at Naruto who was slowly making his way back to them.

“D-did… did it work?” She stuttered, her face remaining hot and flushed. He felt a small flush of the old humiliation as he remembered the moment. Thinking back… he was grateful to be out of that stage of puberty by now.

“...” He felt his own face heat slightly, at the time it had been mortifying for more than one reason, but from a more mature perspective it should have been more embarrassing to have been caught by such a stupid, low-level jutsu than by the unexpected sight of the girl he tried to refuse to like in underwear. He frowned in Naruto’s direction rather than answering.

“I’m sorry Sakura-chan…” Naruto groaned, clutching his swollen jaw in his hand. Sakura tore her eyes away from Sasuke and went up to heal him instead, muttering under breath about how stupid ‘her boys’ were. Amused by the wording and by the nostalgic sight of his team making amends after a violent outburst, he could not help but look at them with a little more affection than before.

The door to the meeting room opened just as Naruto’s face was fully restored. Kakashi exited first, followed by Gaara and the three Elders of the village council. Sasuke bowed politely at them, keenly aware of their eyes on him and his comrades. The Elders left them without slowing down to greet them, while Kakashi yawned behind his mask. Once it was just the five of them, he gave them a tired smile.

“Good work. You will be relieved of guard duty very soon, Gaara has decided to head home a few hours before schedule. We will be showing him to the gates where Hidden Sand shinobi will take over.” He instructed, sounding every bit like the warm sensei they knew. “After that – I have my own plans for us. I hope you had nothing planned for tonight… because I’m ordering you all to come along.”

The three of them nodded, and dutifully escorted Gaara to the hotel where they collected his luggage and his two companions. When Temari came out into the hallway, Sakura leaned close to Naruto and whispered something about Shikamaru and her last night-shift, earning a snigger which he quickly had to force down as Temari’s eyes shot daggers at them.

At the gates, Gaara and Naruto shared a long moment of staring affectionately at each other.

“Come back again soon, yeah? Or let us come see you in the Hidden Sand!” Naruto encouraged, placing a hand on the Kazekage’s shoulder. Gaara smiled back.

“I’m sure we can find a good excuse for that. All of you, take care of each other.” His pale eyes traveled over them, and he only turned around when three Hidden Sand ninja appeared behind him, grouping up with Eito and Temari. Eito gave them a lazy wave before turning his back on them.

“So? What do you want, Kakashi?” Sasuke asked, plucking the earpiece out and turning his radio off as their mission was over. Sakura did as he did, and Kakashi took off his white robe and rolled his shoulders.

“It’s about time we spent some time as a team again, all four of us. For now I want to just be your jounin instructor again, not your Hokage.”

“Kakashi-sensei, we’re all jounin now.” Sakura pointed out, but her smile was warm and glowing. He smiled back at her, closing his one visible eye.

“And how proud I am of all of you.” He chuckled. “Come on, I’ve prepared something special in one of my favorite locations.”

Puzzled, they followed him as he jumped into the trees and quickly traveled away from the village gates.


	9. Our team, until now

They tracked through the woods surrounding their home, ascending in height as they approached a vast hill. Reaching a natural platform jutting out from the stony top of the hill, overlooking the nearest edge of Konoha, Kakashi suddenly stopped and landed. They followed him and waited for instructions.

Kakashi placed his palm against a rock and released a transformation jutsu – revealing a stack of supplies. Curious, Naruto hunched down next to their teacher and investigated the pile.

“What’s all this for?”

“Our farewell party.” Kakashi sighed. The mood of the group changed as they took in the meaning behind his words, remembering that it really was the end of their team. As thrilled as he was about the future, Sasuke still felt something like grief sting between his ribs when it sank in. Sakura lowered her head, sadness glazing over her green eyes.

“Oh…” Naruto said, his face falling from its usual perky look of eternal optimism. Sakura walked forward and bent down next to him, grabbing a bundle of firewood from the stack.

“Looks like you’ve planned a bonfire night. Right, Kakashi-sensei? Here, let me help out…” Her smile was as sad as her eyes, but it got them to move all the same. They got a fire going, rolled out mats for sitting on, and brought out bags stuffed with meat and vegetables to roast over the fire. With the meat sizzling over the flames, Kakashi stuck his hands into a heavy backpack and handed them each a can of beer.

“Eight years… is a long time, isn’t it?” Sakura commented, hugging her knees to her chest and watching the flames. Her eyes reflected the orange light from the flames. “Somehow it feels like both a lifetime and just a moment ago that we sat on that roof, introducing ourselves.”

“Yeah. I get what you mean.” Naruto said softly, closing his eyes and his hands into fists against the hard ground. Sasuke let his eyes glide over both of them to take in the look of them in the light of the slowly descending sun. “We’ve done so much… It’s kinda crazy isn’t it? And we’re not even done with our goals yet. Well, except for you, Sakura-chan.”

Sakura laughed, tightening her grasp on her knees. Sasuke averted his eyes, remembering her proclamation that her dream was to get close to him of all things.

“Well, my goals have changed since then.” She stated.

“That’s good. You should always have had bigger dreams for yourself.” Kakashi replied. “You’ve impressed me. You figured out a path for yourself all on your own and stuck to it... and I’m sorry I was quite useless in teaching you.”

“Sensei, you taught me a lot!” Sakura protested, but Kakashi raised his hand to stop her.

“No, I was too focused on the boys. It’s a good thing that you found Tsunade, and you know it.”

Sakura frowned. Her green eyes were fixed on Kakashi. As much as he did believe Sakura had learnt valuable lessons from him, he had a point… They had hogged a lot of his attention. He did not regret it, however. Sakura could handle herself, and even when she could not, they stepped in to help her.

“I still would never have grown as a shinobi without you three. I hate to admit it, but I was too content with being mediocre before I realized I had to do better to keep up… And to be more useful, too.” She moved her legs, tucking them under her. Her confidence seemed to return to her. “Now I want to do a lot of different things, but lucky for me a medical ninja never runs out of work.” She grinned.

“Ah, you’re so cool, Sakura-chan!” Naruto groaned. “I’ll keep taking all the difficult missions I can get until I become Hokage, but it is going to be so _weird_ to not know who I’ll go do them with.”

“I have no doubt that you will do fine, Naruto. You’ve matured the most, and you’re an excellent ninja on all fronts.” Kakashi said firmly. “Well, your infiltration tactics could use some work though…”

“He’s right. And besides, you have an uncanny ability to befriend anyone you want. You won’t be alone.” Sasuke added coolly. Naruto gave him a delighted smirk at the encouragement, nodding happily.

“Yes. That and you carry familiar company around with you everywhere.” Kakashi added, pointing at his gut where the nine-tailed fox lived. Naruto laughed at that. Their sensei sighed. “Don’t worry about it. You’re a genius in your own way… and you have proven yourself time and time again; the most unpredictable shinobi in the world.”

The three of them went silent, turning to Sasuke.

“What?” He asked when they all looked at him, expectantly. Kakashi tilted his head into the palm of his hand.

“Honestly, I’m surprised you stuck around for as long as you have. I thought you would leave the minute you reached jounin-status to join the Police Force.” Kakashi stated, watching Sasuke intently. He furrowed his eyebrows, not expecting to have to explain himself.

“They wouldn’t accept me just because I got a promotion. Without the clan’s respect, rank means nothing.” Sasuke replied, his voice coming out colder than he had intended it to, and it was hard to stop there when the bitterness rose in his throat. “Besides, I had to catch up with my brother to convince my father I’m worth the time of day. It would be pitiful to try to take his place without first being acknowledged as an equal by him.”

He felt the mood change for the negative again, and he disliked the look they gave him. He refused to think they felt sorry for him. They should not. He had succeeded, and he was ready to finally proceed with the goal he had set for himself back in the Academy.

“Out of all of us, you’ve been under the most pressure.” Kakashi started, leaning back casually but his one eye still drilling into Sasuke’s. “And even still, you raise the bar higher than anyone. That’s very admirable, especially since you’ve actually got what it takes to succeed despite all that.”

Sasuke swallowed, unsure if he could agree with him. Sometimes it felt like he would never be satisfied with himself, no matter what he did. Even now, when they were on better terms than they had ever been, his father was still keeping him out of what he suspected was a potentially dangerous conflict involving their family. Fugaku had pretty much promised to include him soon, but had he not done everything to prove himself again and again? Why did he keep pushing him away like this, not even allowing him the opportunity to help his own family?

“My point is that you’re not happy until you reach your own goals on your own terms. It takes a lot of resolve to do that.” Kakashi continued when Sasuke kept quiet. “You were a talented kid, but you made yourself into a brilliant man through hard work, creativity and your own determination. That’s what makes a truly impressive person, shinobi or not.” The two exchanged a long, silent gaze. He could tell Kakashi was genuine, and the praise twisted his stomach. Kakashi was proud of him. The way he looked at him… it was just the type of look he always craved at home.

Unable to keep their eye-contact any longer, Sasuke closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. Perhaps it was childish or naïve to take his words to heart, but they did warm him.

“Thank you… Sensei.”

The honorific hung heavy in the air, the taste of it lingered on Sasuke’s tongue and the gratitude towards his mentor remained in his chest. After a long, not unpleasant silence he felt Naruto bump his elbow against his arm and the quiet was filled with talking again. They ate and drank their beers, the atmosphere shifting and changing for something more lighthearted, more casual, as they all were reluctant to focus on the reason they were there to begin with.

After Sakura’s birthday, Sasuke was not sure if he counted as a lightweight – he wanted to think he was not. He was still grateful the beer was significantly better tasting and far less potent than Tsunade’s sake had been. Getting drunk with his old team was not a terrible way to end their time together, but he would not like to overdo it. All he wanted was to remember this evening.

The environment was beautiful. As the sun set behind the village, Sasuke understood why Kakashi had said this location was a favorite of his. The view was stunning. When it seemed like the others were not paying attention, he let his sharingan spin into place to memorize the scene. He wanted this image to remain in his mind forever; the gorgeous sky, their Hidden Village, the packed forest that protected it, and most of all his lively companions around the fire. Sakura was laughing at something Naruto had said, Kakashi listening attentively and smiling at the two of them while they talked. Sasuke relaxed, having tucked the sight safely into his memory, and returned to simply enjoying their company. Naruto stuck two sticks they had used for cooking up his nose for some stupid joke, and Sakura responded by throwing a pebble at him. She hit him right between his eyes and laughed victoriously.

Emptying their second round, Sasuke felt the beginnings of a soft buzz in his skull and decided to pace himself, putting the third can down when Naruto handed it to him. Soft pink dusted Sakura’s cheeks and she absentmindedly kept drawing little circles on the ground between her and Sasuke.

He wondered what she was thinking about. Most likely the impending changes to her life. His gut twisted uncomfortably. _I wonder what her expectations are._ They still had not talked about their future, even if she knew what she wanted for herself things had gotten… complicated.

He watched her hand making those little circles, holding back a growing urge to twist his fingers around hers. It bothered him to be so uncertain, to not yet have a clear plan or even an idea of the right course of action. He had never been one to make slow decisions and he did not like having to wait for things to unfold without him having full control over it. Sick of the tension, he tore his eyes away from her and got up to clear his mind. Excusing himself he walked down the hill where he could disappear into the trees for a few minutes. Once he was alone, he felt calmer. He closed his eyes and focused on the fresh forest air. He meditated silently the way he had been taught to as a child. His breath slow and steady, he soon felt better again.

“Something’s up?” Kakashi asked from behind him. Sasuke did not feel like turning around, so he did not. He kept his voice down, but still scanned the surroundings for any eves-droppers before he spoke.

“Are you aware of any conflicts between my clan and the government?”

“Hm… Tsunade-sama told me I needed to not let the Elders have their way when it came to the Uchiha, but to be frank I don’t have anywhere near her influence over them.”

Now Sasuke did want to look at him. Kakashi looked as apathetic as ever, leaned against a tree with his hands in the pockets of his pants.

“What did she do?” He prompted.

“She is one of the main reasons Fugaku-san’s position in government is anything more than symbolic.”

Sasuke inhaled sharply. _He said members of the clan want more power, but he never implied it could be that bad._ He took a step closer to Kakashi, balling his hands into fists. The older man noticed his reaction and began explaining.

“Our only ever female Hokage did something none of her male predecessors did. Her forceful nature caused a lot of tension, but it also allowed her to push matters with the Elders. Where Lord Third and Lord Fourth were careful not to ruffle their feathers, she was comfortable enraging them if she needed to… Being the last Senju and granddaughter to the First Hokage she could pretty much bully them into heeding her will. Especially with Danzo dead they had little ammunition against her.” Kakashi sighed. “When she realized the extent of the discrimination against the Uchiha, she made an agreement with Fugaku-san to put an end to it.”

“But there is still dissent within the clan.” Sasuke revealed, trusting him with the secret despite him being an outsider and having no reason to protect the clan beyond his relationship with Sasuke.

“Yes.” Kakashi scratched his head. “Long conflicts tend to have long resolutions, after all.”

“Hn.” Sasuke grunted, thinking of the times he had met the woman before she retired. It truly was plausible that she would steamroll over the old raisins that led the village. Sakura adored her master; a grown woman with an untamed personality, unyielding willpower and more than enough strength to back it up. But beyond that, from what he had seen she seemed completely uninterested in power. He even suspected she saw it as just a means to an end. She had just barely agreed to become Hokage after Jiraya somehow coaxed her into it. Like Sakura, she cared more about other people’s welfare than her own status. _A conflict between a clan like mine and the Hidden Village would have the potential of threatening not just the peace, but the safety of the people within it. Is that why she agreed to work with my father?_ He frowned. It was not impossible. The thought of the Uchiha turning against their own home, their own comrades, was a gut-wrenching one… but he hated to admit it did not seem unfeasible. Being one of them, he understood and shared their prideful nature.

“Kakashi.” He muttered, getting closer so that he could speak more quietly. His chest hurt, but he had to warn his sensei. In part for his sake but mostly for the sake of his family. If a fight broke out between his clansmen and his village because he did not share what he knew with his mentor, it would be his fault. “I saw more than just one or two Eyes activated during the speech. Many are still angry about whatever went on. You have to be careful.”

The pain in his chest tightened like a hard knot and traveled to his throat. Not willing to bet on his ability to speak smoothly, Sasuke walked past Kakashi without waiting for a response.

Sakura and Naruto were bickering about something by the fire. Both of their faces were flushed but it could not have been anything serious as Naruto waved Sasuke over as soon as he was within sight. He fed the fire some more wood before he sat down, this time further away from Sakura and her little rings.

Naruto nudged his arm. “Are you going to tell me what’s up, Sasuke? You’ve been tense all day and I don’t buy it’s because of the mission,” he said, openly both curious and knowing in that almost brotherly way he had towards Sasuke.

“It’s nothing.” He insisted, but Naruto leaned closer and poked him harder with the sharp point of his elbow.

“Yes, it is. Don’t try to act all cool around us – you’re no good at hiding that you’re sulking about something.”

Sasuke sighed. He did not want to seem annoyed, but he was.

“None of your business. Focus on enjoying the evening.”

“Aw, come on! It’s our last time as an official team, just spill it already!” Naruto exclaimed, getting closer and glaring stubbornly. Sasuke felt his patience run thin like a thread about to snap.

“Just shut up! Why do you have to meddle in everything?”

Naruto scowled at him and pointed a finger at Sasuke’s nose.

“Because you’re my friend, and you’re being a dick.” He looked between his teammates. “Did you two fight or something?”

“What? No.” Sakura shot in without hesitation, but she looked just as perplexed as Naruto, eyeing Sasuke with concern he did not want.

“It has nothing to do with her.” Mostly true, but partially a lie all things considered. With so many clansmen riled up against the village it was hardly the optimal timing for the head family’s son to be courting an outsider to the clan – and the former Hokage’s disciple at that. 

“Is it… your family?” She posed the question cautiously, like the topic was booby trapped and she did not want to trip over any of his wires. It came from kindness, but it still rubbed him the wrong way to have her thread so carefully with him. She was supposed to slowly become more comfortable – not less. He swallowed his frustration, though.

“Aa. They need me right now. I don’t want either of you to get involved.” He sighed. Resigning to the fact that they would absolutely try it if he did not convince them that abstaining was the right thing to do. “For my sake, stay out of it. I need… time and space to figure some stuff out.”

The two of them understood. Curiosity and their will to push the matter drained away from their faces, leaving contained concern and empathy. Sakura hummed, running her eyes over his face and lingering, quietly seeking eye-contact. It would have been good to know what she was thinking – but she said nothing more and let her questions fall away. Grateful that they seemed to grant him the space that he needed, he felt himself relax even as Naruto came closer and opened his mouth again.

“Just don’t hesitate to come to us if you do need help.” Naruto demanded. Returning his resolute expression with a small smile, Sasuke let him wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him into a rough, one-sided hug. At the end of the day, it was good to have a friend. 

Sakura drank her beer and gave the can Sasuke abandoned to Naruto. Kakashi returned and joined them again, lazily stretching out his legs by the fire and whipping out a copy of ‘ _Make-Out Tactics’_ out to read in the now yellow light from the stoked flames. The book was well-read and worn, though it was clear Kakashi handled his smut with care as there were no rips, scratches or tears to be seen despite them following him everywhere. He took notice of him staring and Kakashi’s heavy-lidded eye flashed with a glint of intrigue.

“Hmm?” He hummed, and Sasuke lowered his brows. “Don’t tell me, you’re finally taking an interest in Jiraya-sama’s magnum opus?”

“Obviously not.” Sasuke scoffed. He crossed his arms and nearly turned away from Kakashi but changed his mind, seeing an opportunity to dig for some information. He paused, swallowing his dignity to ask him; “Why did you give the orange one to Itachi?”

Naruto choked on a mouthful of beer and dunked his fist against the middle of his chest to get it out of his windpipe. The other men gave him little more than a glance, while Sakura seemed like she needed to brace herself to hold back a laugh – clutching her hand into a fist and biting down on the knuckle of her pointer finger. Sasuke opted to ignore both of them and kept his eyes on their sensei, while Kakashi’s twinkled with amusement.

He tilted his head, smiling innocently and very much resembling a dog in ninja clothing.

“Hm? Perhaps I thought he would like it. Possibly…”

Kakashi was way too smug and suggestive. Ticked off at the implication, Sasuke went with the impulse to jump to his brother’s defense despite being the one who brought it up to begin with. 

“Why the hell would he enjoy that filth? He’s just accepting it because it was a gift from the Hokage.” He growled. The culprit behind the shameful gift was not deterred – on the contrary he seemed entertained by the attempted defense of Itachi Uchiha’s honor.

“Oh, I don’t know about that… I used to work quite closely with him when he was younger, you know.” Kakashi grinned impudently behind the mask and Sasuke felt a sinking feeling in his gut. “Ha ha ha… Not even a prodigy is immune to the effects of puberty. As I recall.”

Stunned, Sasuke felt the color drain from his face. He stared at Kakashi, searching for hints that he was not making the implications he thought. The question ‘ _what the hell does that mean’_ almost fell off his tongue but thankfully it remained behind his lips as he did not want an answer. Instead, he narrowed his eyes threateningly.

“My brother is not a pervert.”

“I didn’t say he was.” Kakashi chuckled.

“You implied it.”

“No, you made an assumption. Jiraya-sama’s stories aren’t just popular for the… eh… adult content, you know.” Kakashi went back to reading. “They’re quite soothing.”

“Is that why you read them?” Sakura asked, peering at their old instructor. Kakashi kept reading, ignoring her and focusing on the page. The dismissal seemed to peeve her. Something like mischief passed over her face and for a moment Sasuke’s heart took a small leap at the familiar, _attractive_ look in her eyes. She tapped her chin with a finger and curled her lips into a haughty smile. “Hey, Kakashi-sensei… how come you’re still single?”

At that, he did look up from the text and scrutinized her quietly. She was far from deterred, rather, she seemed ready to unleash a barrage of pin-pointed strikes against the cracks in their mentor’s mental defenses… and she did. Her voice was as sweet as syrup, but sharper than a razorblade when she began her onslaught.

“You’re almost thirty-four, right?”

Kakashi flinched as if he had been struck with a kunai.

“Isn’t it normal to be married already, at your age?”

His recoiled again, holding his hand out as if to shield himself.

“You don’t intend to be a bachelor forever, do you?”

The final blow struck bullseye, cutting through ego and dignity until it reached the very bone of his anxiety. Kakashi’s back bent and the man fell forward into a depressed, defeated pile with his head bowed low.

“Sakura-chan… You have no mercy.” He groaned. “Tsunade raised a ruthless young woman.”

Unabashed, Sakura nodded and winked at Sasuke. Soundlessly she mouthed the words ‘ _aim for the balls_ ’ and he felt a small shiver run through him. It seemed like her attack on Kakashi’s weak spot had diminished the man’s defenses though, giving Sasuke an advantage he was not about to pass up on. Leaning closer to him, he led the conversation where he wanted it.

“Why did you think Itachi Uchiha should read that book?”

Kakashi shuddered, his head still held low though he looked up enough to fix a tired stare at his pupil.

“You two make a terrifying team.” He muttered. “Fine, I suspected… he might be lonely. And that it might be a little bit my fault.” He sighed, scratching his head through the thick, wild mane of silver hair. “Honestly, I’d much rather you talk to him about it. His personal life should be none of my business.”

Sasuke raised his eyebrow, but ultimately agreed.

Dropping the topic, he went to the backpack and shoved another beer in Kakashi’s hand – a peace offering. It never stopped being entertaining to mess with their old mentor, but it was problematic to be on his bad side. He was still their Hokage, after all. Suddenly something was flying towards his head and he caught it reflexively. It was yet another full can. Sasuke turned his head and saw Naruto carrying one in his own hand.

“Bet I can chug mine down faster.” Naruto grinned. Sasuke held on to the can but made no move to open it.

“That’s dumb. You don’t want to end up like during Sakura’s birthday.”

“I’m going to pretend I did not hear that.” Kakashi muttered.

“You brought us all alcohol even though I’m the only one who has turned twenty.” Sakura pointed out and raised her own drink as if to make a toast at him while he just shrugged. “Your crime is worse than theirs.”

“You’re just pissed you sucked at the drinking game.” Naruto snorted. Sasuke’s eyes shot daggers at him.

“There was no way to have any skill in that game, you moron.”

“And you still sucked!” Naruto laughed, clearly not caring if it made sense. As long as he got his point across. “Though, I guess you would have to drink more if we played it now.” He added maliciously.

“We are _not_.” Sakura said decisively. Sasuke definitively agreed with her on that. Kakashi just gave him a tired, _‘do I even want to know_ ’ look. However, when Naruto opened his can, Sasuke did the same and raised it towards him. Understanding each other they bumped their cans against each other before commencing with the contest. _It would not be a proper Team 7 gathering without us competing over something now would it?_ He smirked confidently, and the moment that Naruto put the drink against his lips Sasuke slipped a kunai out of his weapon pouch and sliced off the top of the thin metal container and threw the unhindered liquid down his throat without the constraints of the small hole.

Naruto yelled in protest, while Sakura and Kakashi gave him an approving little applause.

“You guys are idiots, you know that?” She giggled, putting her knuckles to her lips and blushing.

“That was totally cheating, right Sakura-chan?” Naruto shouted, waving a fist at Sasuke.

“Oh, don’t be a baby! It was a stupid challenge to begin with.” She huffed and kept laughing at him.

“You’re one to talk! Earlier you whined to me about – “ Naruto began indignantly, but was cut off when she suddenly stopped laughing and slammed her palm to the same cheek she had punched earlier and knocked him head-first into the ground.

“I wonder what…” Kakashi mused, putting on an air of feigned interest.

“Doesn’t matter…” Naruto muttered angrily, rubbing his swollen cheek. He gave Sakura a teary glare and spat out: “Can’t you just use your words for once and cut out the violence? Crazy woman!”

The fury was practically radiating off her, as blazing as the fire they sat around. Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed, suddenly feeling too tired to watch their squabbling.

“Don’t call me crazy! I told you that in confidence so don’t go repeating it!”

“Well you still don’t have to hit me!”

“Just apologize, Naruto.” Sasuke muttered, crossing his arms.

“Oh, come on! You don’t have to take her side just because you’ve finally grown the balls to – OUCH!” Sasuke and Sakura slapped the back of his head in unison. Naruto groaned and tears of pain ran down his cheeks. “Damn it, why is it always me against you two?” He whined.

“Ha… Some things never change, do they?” Kakashi sighed. Sakura huffed, sticking her nose into the air while Naruto regained some of his composure. Still pouting angrily, he chugged the rest of his beer. With the tension subsiding, the argument brought a nostalgic atmosphere over the site. Sasuke lifted his face towards the night sky to take in the sight of the countless stars twinkling so far above their heads no shinobi could ever hope to touch them. The black and white of the skies appealed to him even more than the dazzling sunset. Glittering sprinkles of silver light against the dark infinity of space might not be as bright or flashy as how the sun transformed everything it touched with its burning rays, but that was part of the beauty of it. The night was calmer, quieter, both in appearance and sound. Less happened, but no less important events went down. He moved his hand over the dirt next to him, searching with a light brush over the soil for the circles Sakura had drawn. The tips of his fingers soon found them and he glanced down at them. Careful not to smudge it, he picked one and added two little lines to turn it into an Uchiwa like the one on his back.

Satisfied, he exhaled and laid down on his back, resting his head on his hands.

“I’m really going to miss this.” Sakura sighed. “Just the four of us, outside the village and huddled around a fire…” She added. Something like longing tinged her tone. Sasuke could feel it too, a lingering pull from their bonds twisted together to a thick rope that held them together and had held them grounded through their experiences. A small part of him did want things to stay the same. It was far from enough to keep him from pursuing his ambition… but he could not deny that it was there. There was a certain security in the life they knew and shared – comfort in the reliable company of their team when tackling challenges, danger or even horror. There had been many times where that had saved them… saved him. Sasuke considered himself strong. Perhaps never quite as strong as he would like to be, there was always room for improvement. But even still, some situations were simply too much for anyone to handle on their own.

“It’s been good.” Kakashi agreed. Sasuke sat back up as he caught the regretful tone on his voice and met his gaze. Kakashi looked at all of them one last time, steeled himself and rose to his feet. “I think it’s time to go home.” All of them held their breaths. “You can stay a little longer if you want. I’ll have someone come clean up later.” Kakashi reached his hands out to them, palms up towards the sky. “Thank you, my adorable little students. I’m so proud of all of you… So don’t be sad tonight.” His chest heaved but his back straightened. “Team Seven… Is officially disbanded.”


	10. Heads and Hearts

Sakura was the first of them to move. She rose slowly, before throwing herself into Kakashi’s open arms. A painful pressure wrapped around Sasuke’s insides as he thought that this was their good-bye. His own eyes burned but he refused to cry even as Naruto sobbed next to him and jumped up to wedge himself into their sensei’s chest. Even Kakashi looked pained, his one eye glittering in the light from the fire as he looked down on his former students’ heads. Sakura sniffled and buried her face in his vest. He got to his feet and took a few steps closer, and Naruto was the one who threw out an arm and pulled him into the hug with the rest of them.

Somehow, it seemed natural to fall into their arms. The warm forms of his closest comrades sunk through him and he welcomed it. With their hands on his back, he felt safe. A familiar, sweet stream of fondness ran through him from his head all the way down to his legs. It almost surprised him as the feeling was strikingly similar to how he felt for his family. Pressing her side against his ribcage, Sakura leaned on him and nuzzled her head against his throat and he rested his cheek against the top of her scalp in turn. His heart fluttered, his eyes closed, and his mouth brought a smile to his face. Disbanded or not, it was so good to have them.

There was no keeping track of time. The hug could have lasted a minute, or an hour for all Sasuke cared. All that matter was that when they broke apart, he felt nothing but immense satisfaction. After all their time as a unit… every mission, every training session and all the hard work they had poured into this team, they were now done. They could separate knowing they had nothing to regret and that they had given it their all and his dream was on the horizon. Naruto wiped his tears as their arms withdrew from each other, while Sakura wore hers proudly on her cheeks.

Kakashi smiled at all of them, as cheerful as Sasuke had ever seen him. When they all stepped back, Sasuke felt Sakura’s hand run a path from his shoulders down his arm until it wrapped around the back of his hand. True to his promise in the compound, he let her slip her fingers between his and held on to her. Kakashi bid them good night and flickered away into the forest. The three of them stood in silence, with just the occasional sniffle escaping Sakura and Naruto.

“Do you want to stay or…?” Naruto asked, gesturing at the fire. Sasuke gave Sakura a glance and understood that she wanted to get home.

“No. Put out the fire.” He said simply. Naruto sniffed, but did as he asked. With the fire dying at their feet, Naruto piled all the leftover supplies and put the henge back onto them so that they could walk back to the village. As they walked, Naruto soon ended up ahead of them as Sasuke and Sakura fell behind him. He glanced back at them, looked them up and down and grinned.

“I’m gonna go and head home now. See you!” He said and dashed out of sight into the treetops. Sasuke lingered with his eyes on where he had disappeared out of sight, letting the evening sink in. Sakura had finally stopped crying, holding on to his hand in a soft grip. He felt her looking at him, so he turned his own gaze down to meet her. His heart fluttered again as his eyes caught hers and he saw her pupils dilate.

“This was a good night, wasn’t it?” She said, smiling up at him. The skin around her eyes was puffy from crying and slightly reddened. He tilted his head in agreement and returned the smile. It faded from his lips he remembered his family. _This has all been good, but it isn’t enough._ He stilled and pulled her to a stop. She did not seem surprised, rather she looked at him with curiosity and longing. When his eyes met hers, he felt a longing, too.

Pulsing and pressing, a desire to get closer rose from the depths behind his ribcage – threatening to pull him right into her arms without consideration for any consequences the way he had the night on the Academy rooftop. It was almost laughable how tempting it was… and how little regard his body had for social expectations, rules or even the interests of his kin. Many Uchiha carried the belief that they were superior to normal villagers because of their pure, powerful bloodline. That their genetics made them inherently more evolved than outsiders. For all their talk of Uchiha excellence it was amusing how his supposedly exceptional flesh still had all the primitive impulses and an inexplicable longing for intimacy with another person as anyone else would. And that other person shared none of those genes – Sakura was about as much of an outsider to the clan as it was possible to be.

In just about every way the two of them could be considered different. And yet he had never felt like she was difficult to understand, not even when they first were assigned to Team 7 and had to begin the long process of getting to know each other.

She had showered him with expressions of her infatuation, and he might not have returned it back then, but he had understood that her intense approaches were genuine. It felt familiar. Both different and similar to how he had obsessed over his brother and craved every drop of attention he could get… although their adoration was of a different nature, he still related to it.

Sakura’s affection was never fickle, either. She had a few people she cherished, and she held on to them with everything she had. That too, he found relatable. As her eyes communicated such unyielding, fervent affection for him he felt his own heart stir and swirl until it caught his brain in a maelstrom to the point where he felt almost dizzy. When her fingers clutched his he could have sworn he felt a hot surge of energy pressing against the back of his eyes. He wondered if it was his sharingan wanting to stir to life but it felt nothing like it, nor did he see anything but normal black orbs reflected in Sakura’s glittering jade.

She moved closer, letting go of his hand and leaning onto the tips of her toes. Her hands found his neck. Fingers wrapped around the back and got caught in his hair. A small shiver ran from where they tugged at the strands, down his spine. Half-closing his eyes, he could not bear to continue looking into hers as they began to glaze over with a look he recognized all too well while she pulled him closer. Their noses were so close they almost touched and so he kept his gaze on the bridge of hers. For the first time in a long while he felt uncomfortable returning the affection, and he bumped the tip of his nose against hers.

“Sakura…” He mumbled into the night air. As his back straightened she had to look up at him. _When did you become so short? We used to be almost the same height._ The thought passed through his mind, but it did not linger. There was something more important he needed to know.

The muscle under his eyes tensed, bringing his lower lids up for a moment when he wondered if he could even ask her in a way she would understand. As well as they could interpret each other without having to explain every detail, sometimes words were necessary. For clarity, and for letting her know he needed her to hear him. “What… kind of future do you want?”

Her gaze did not waver as she moved her head slightly closer. “Future?”, she whispered back, her voice sweet and trembling like a hummingbird. “What part of it?”

“All of it.” He answered, wishing she could hear his thoughts. “How would you like your life to be.”

Sakura pouted slightly, an inquisitive look taking shape on her face.

“You know about my dreams… I have a lot of work to do. Build my own clinics where I can offer the types of care the village lacks and help as many people as I can.” She smiled, glancing down at the ground before her eyes darted back to his. “And I want you by my side while I do it.” While he listened to her confirming what he already knew about her, his stomach filled with led. He wanted her no other way – ambitious, hardworking and loving as she was to a fault. But he could feel the weight of his family on him, the weight of being responsible for more than just his own happiness, or even for hers.

 _The clan matriarch has many duties. Itachi will never have children. I…_ The pain rising in his chest was threatening to suffocate him from within; filling his lungs like water would fill a drowning man. Sakura looked so confident, so happy and her hand began reaching out to catch his again. Her hand… which he could not easily let go of, nor ask her father for permission to take.

‘ _You will marry an honorable clanswoman one day’._

He pulled his hand away. Initially he had thought that the only reason his father had said that would be because of their bloodline and status. They were the leaders of their entire clan, they set an example to others and they needed the sharingan to be carried on to the next generation. An Uchiha also knew how the clan worked – understanding the balance their people walked was essential in a matriarch. But now he understood there was more to his father’s worry than that. Nor would be fair to _her_ to keep acting as if he could offer her what she wanted to have.

If their clansmen were already angry with Konoha, then bringing a village girl into their midst and demanding they accept her as the wife to one of Fugaku’s sons… it would stir their dissent even more and risk setting off the first bomb hidden within the minefield surrounding them.

She seemed confused. She was waiting for him to say something more. Sasuke looked away from her.

Sakura knew something was wrong, she could read him far too well and he saw no point in hiding it. He just hoped she would not blame herself the way she tended to do. Sasuke set his eyes on hers and was met with a flurry of emotions whirling through her. He could see her wonder become concern, then concern turned into fear and finally it spilled over to heart-wrenching betrayal.

“That doesn’t work, does it?” She whispered. He almost flinched at the pain in her voice.

“Sakura –“ Sasuke began, wanting to somehow calm her but having no plan on what to say next. He did not need more however, as Sakura raised her hand and stopped him from continuing.

“No. I can tell.” She took a sharp, shallow breath and stepped back. “Honestly, I even suspected it. I know your family is old fashioned. I might not fully get it, but clans come with a ton of obligation, right? Even you can’t just pick and choose what responsibilities you’ll fulfill for them.”

He narrowed his eyes at her.

“That’s not –“

“It’s not what? Not true? You’re not thinking that you need to drop me for some Uchiha housewife?” Her accusation rang sharp and fierce through the air between them and her words lodged themselves into his chest, worse yet as she continued. “You asked me to stay with you! Even if it gets hard… What the hell is this about?” 

His jaw clenched. She glared at him, her anger taking over but clearly doing nothing to wash away her pain. He was prepared to let her give in to her frustration and keep lashing out at him but instead she put her palms to her forehead and turned around from him with an exasperated groan. Pausing, he took a moment to reassess her reaction.

“Sakura… I –“

“Shut up! I need to think!” Sakura huffed. He closed his mouth and listened to her breathing, feeling his resolve waver while he stared at her back. The white circle on her back stared back at him. “Sasuke-kun, what is going on? This isn’t like you.”

He bit his lip. His gut felt like it was full of rocks.

“I mean!” She spun around, glaring at him with tears in her eyes. “All of a sudden you…” Sakura’s voice broke, and a choked little noise escaped her throat.

“Sakura! Shut up and listen!” He yelled back, taking a step closer to her. “I would never hold you back from your dreams.”

She sniffed, straightened her back and new tears joined the ones drying on her cheeks. He carried on anyway.

“If I could promise you what you want then I would. Has anything we have done indicated anything else?” He demanded. “The problem is not that I don’t want to, it’s that I don’t think I can. There’s so much going on that you have no idea about… Things I only found out about during the festival.”

She flinched. Then she wiped her eyes and looked somewhat braver.

“What things?”

He wanted to tell her everything, but there was no way he could. Not right there, and not in this moment. Sasuke took several steps closer to where he could speak low enough to feel safe saying anything of importance.

“Will you swear to me to stay out of it, and not to try and dig into this?” He muttered. She stared up at him and looked far too skeptical. “Please, Sakura.”

“Sasuke-kun, will it always be like this when it comes to your clan?” She asked softly.

His eyes widened at that, and she looked at the ground.

“Telling me and Naruto to stay out of it, like it’s so secret and forbidden to let us help you just because it’s about your clan. I just… don’t understand it. We’re all supposed to be of the same village so how come the Uchiha seem so… distant from everyone else?”

He swallowed, as he himself had no good answer. She laid a hand on his arm, tugging at the sleeve of his shirt.

“If I can’t help you then at least tell me why. You owe me that much.”

Sasuke drew a deep, ragged breath.

“Because I’m scared.”

His voice came out shakier than he wanted it to be. Her eyes shot up at him.

“I think my family might be in danger if we all don’t play our cards right.”

Painful remorse flew across her face and he wished he could rip that emotion off her. She had nothing to be sorry for, but as usual she was too kind to let him carry the blame for their argument.

“Sasuke-kun…” She whispered. Her eyes were so wide, and her mouth hung slightly open. He blushed, putting a hand over her mouth.

“Shut up. Now you know.” He muttered. Sakura pulled at his hand and tore it away enough to speak again. She held on to it tightly in both of hers.

“Well, what _can_ I do then?” She asked firmly.

“You…” he curled his fingers around hers, “work towards your goals. But understand that I… I just can’t promise to…”

“To marry me?” She filled in helpfully, tilting her head and starting to smile at him. “That’s okay. I’ll just make it part of my goals to make sure you can.”

Sasuke stared at her. She kissed his fingers and looked… happier than any person should be in her position. He had just told her that he could _not_ give her everything she wanted - and she was still happy for having the chance to work for it? He wanted to laugh at her, so he did.

“You’re ridiculous.” He told her, and her smile widened.

“Maybe. But if it works it works, right?” She giggled.

Their eyes met and Sasuke knew there was no getting away from her when she reached out a hand towards his collar. She grabbed it and in one smooth motion pulled him down to her lips.

 _Damn it,_ he cursed as he smiled into her kisses.


	11. Naruto

“Hey… wake up!”

Sasuke forced his eyes to open. Judging by the orange light coming through his window, it was morning, but his body still disagreed with the sentiment that it was time to wake up yet. Silently, he rolled away from the familiar voice.

“Oi – don’t ignore me!” Naruto protested and pulled at his shoulder. He sighed.

“What are you doing here?” Sasuke muttered back. Naruto rolled him over by force onto his back. Sasuke gave him a tired glare in turn.

“I came to hang out.” Naruto left the side of Sasuke’s bed and went to rummage through his closet instead. Reluctantly, Sasuke sat up. His friend stared back but did not question him. Instead, he nodded slowly and seriously. “Whatever, man. I’m calling dibs on you today.”

“I didn’t realize I was up for grabs.” Sasuke muttered and got out of his sleepwear.

“Well, we haven’t spent any time together in ages. I’m starting to feel neglected here! Sakura-chan is not the only one who wants to see you every once in a while, you know.”

Sasuke stopped in the middle of pulling his shirt on to look at Naruto with his torso purposefully bare. “If you’re coming on to me, Naruto…”

Naruto laughed at him. “In your dreams! Sakura-chan’s taste in men is objectively terrible.”

Sasuke huffed, smiling.

Even if Naruto had not come on an empty stomach he still did not say no when Sasuke offered breakfast. His mother had left plenty of leftovers in the kitchen.

“So. What were you thinking for today?” Sasuke asked while serving himself a second bowl of rice. Naruto paused, clinking his chopsticks against each other.

“I wanna go swimming. There’s this great spot by the river where I used to train with Pervy Sage. Are you still working on the Water Dragon Jutsu?”

“I can do it, but not at a sufficient speed yet.” Sasuke said with a nod. Taking the time to practice it would be good to increase his potential use for it, and Naruto was adept at working with water.

Just then, Sasuke heard the door to the main entrance open. A few moments later, he felt the familiar presence of his brother just as he stepped into the room.

“Good morning.” Sasuke greeted him, noting he was coming home dressed casually for once. Though, he seemed just as tired as he always did when he came home in the morning. “Long night?”

Itachi nodded, grabbed a portion of rice and grilled fish and went to sit down at the table.

“You really should work fewer hours.” Sasuke pointed out. It was no secret that no matter how strong as he was, his older brother needed far more rest than he got.

As expected, Itachi shot down the plea for him to cut back on work. “I am of no use to the village while sitting around.” He said it softly, but the refusal still irritated Sasuke.

“You’ll be useful for far longer if you stop neglecting your health.”

Itachi looked up, giving him a soft yet blank look over his bowls. “I do not neglect it.”

“You don’t sleep enough. Including this one – how many nights have you been working this month?” Sasuke asked skeptically.

Itachi closed his eyes and took a bite of fish, stating “I was not working last night.”

He was not one to lie about work, and yet Sasuke did not believe him. He was certain he had not come home since yesterday – there had been no signs of him all night.

One part worried, one part fed up with the excuses Itachi always had for not taking enough time off, he asked firmly; “what were you doing out until just now then? Where have you been?”

There was a pause, and Itachi shot a gaging look at Naruto before returning his attention to his meal. Sasuke could have sworn it almost looked like he wanted to smirk - had it not been for how his lips did not move.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to, little brother.” Itachi said, as calm and nerveless as ever. It took him a moment to catch his drift, but then realization dawned on him.

Itachi was a grown man, coming home in the morning despite claiming not having worked. 

Sasuke felt his face scrunch up at the thought of it - as unrealistic as it was he much preferred the naïve delusion that his brother was a celibate creature. There was nothing remotely wrong about it, but that did not make Sasuke any more comfortable with holding onto details about his family member’s sex lives.

It had been bad enough a few years back when he overheard a conversation between Mikoto and Inabi’s wife and snapped up the harrowing fact that she and Fugaku had… _tried…_ dutifully to bring him and his brother into the world. All in all, this was just more than he wanted to think about.

Clearing his throat, he forced himself to at least try to seem mature about it. “At Shisui’s place then? That’s… Doesn’t he live with his mother?” He muttered.

Itachi finally looked up at him and smiled knowingly. He exhaled with what almost sounded like a snicker. “It’s better than the roof of the Academy.”

Suddenly, it was as if Sasuke’s heart fell through his gut and onto the floor.

The color drained from his face, he felt like he might just die right there at the table.

Naruto seemed completely oblivious, scratching his head and looking between the two brothers as if they had spontaneously grown third eyes on their foreheads. Slowly, while Sasuke was busy trying not to drop dead from humiliation, Naruto caught on and burst into unadulterated laughter at Sasuke’s expense. “HAHAHA! Seriously?! Was that your birthday present for her or something?”

His face burning, Sasuke threw his empty rice bowl at his face. It hit Naruto right on the nose and bounced across the kitchen. “Shut up, you idiot!”

“OUCH! You asshole!” Naruto threw his chopsticks at him as if they were senbon, which Sasuke promptly parried with his own. Provoked, Naruto raised a fist and pointed it angrily at him. “You trying to pick a fight? This isn’t my fault!”

“I will have no fighting in _my_ kitchen.” A low, strict voice said directly behind Sasuke. He cursed himself for not paying better attention to his surroundings; letting your guard down at home was one thing but allowing a trained shinobi to get so close to his unguarded back was unacceptable.

Sweating, he turned around to face his mother. “Good morning...” He tried, but regretted opening his mouth at all when he saw the look on her face.

“What are you arguing about this early in the morning?” A demand from Mikoto was not one to be easily ignored – especially not when she wielded every bit of authority she held as both their matriarch and... well, mom.

Itachi smiled softly at her, showing every bit of that gentle charm he possessed when he was not hiding it behind the empty mask of a Black Ops specialist. “It’s quite alright, Mother. I’m sure they would not be so rude as to carry out a real fight at the breakfast table.”

Mikoto huffed. When she did not look, Sasuke fired an angry glare at his brother but made sure to be smiling apologetically when he caught his mother’s eyes.

“Uh… We should get going!” Naruto shot in helpfully, picking up his dishes off both the table and the floor and politely washing them in the kitchen sink. “Thank you for the food, Mikoto-san! Your cooking really is the best!”

Mikoto gave him a skeptical look, but ultimately seemed appeased by the compliment. She shrugged and shooed him away from the sink. When they left the kitchen, Itachi looked like he still wanted to laugh, and Sasuke felt like he still wanted to perish.

Thoroughly soaked and nearing the end of his reserves, Sasuke was catching his breath on the river surface. Naruto floated peacefully next to an oversized frog at the other side but swam casually towards him when he saw Sasuke taking a break from summoning massive dragons of water. He had made some progress but increasing the speed at which you preformed a complicated jutsu could take at least as long as learning it from scratch if not more. And there was always room for improvement, always one more tenth of a second he could shave off that in a real fight could make a world of difference against a skilled opponent.

“You’re running a bit low on juice there, Sasuke. You sure you don’t want a go at the water-cannon jutsu before you’re out?”

“Why would I learn a jutsu for _your_ summons?” Sasuke retorted. Naruto rolled onto his back and floated past him.

Sasuke repeated the signs for the Water Dragon when he heard Naruto mutter; “grumpy bastard…” and decided to redirect the emerging beast towards his friend instead of the empty river surface. The Dragon swirled into existence and roared as it gracefully flung its open maw towards Naruto – who cursed loudly while his frog carried him to safety a generous distance from where the attack landed.

“ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!” Naruto screamed and sent a furious blast of water from the frog’s mouth, which would have hit Sasuke in the chest had he not seen it coming.

Sasuke smirked, charging at Naruto. He did not have enough chakra left for another water dragon, but he also had no reason not to jump at the rising opportunity for a good spar.

“If that’s all it takes to kill you then you don’t deserve to call yourself shinobi!” Sasuke shouted and Naruto jumped to his feet on the water. _No harm no foul,_ he thought when a broad smile spread on his friend’s face.

“Fine! Come at me, bastard!”

Bruised and content, Sasuke floated on his back and made just enough effort to keep the stream from carrying him away from where they put their clothing. Naruto by his side and the frog gone, he admired the beauty of the blue sky above them and felt unadulterated joy over being there.

They might not be teammates any longer, but it was impossible to imagine a future without his best friend in it.

“Naruto.” He said, keeping his eyes on the sky. “Did you decide to marry Hinata?”

He had to wait for a reply, but when it came it was a cheerful one.

“Aa. I just have to find a way to convince her dad it won’t cause the end to their entire family history or whatever.”

Sasuke scoffed, still smiling. Naruto’s arm brushed against his as he swam closer. “Is your clan a lot like the Hyuuga? About that stuff, I mean.”

Sasuke frowned, but he still waved it off casually as if the question did not strike a nerve with him. “We have different rules but in essence I suppose it’s similar. Protect the bloodline. Keep it pure and carry on the Sharingan to the next generation.”

Naruto hummed, floating even closer to him. “I hope you’re not going to have to marry your cousin or something…”

He scoffed dismissively, saying “tch, as if I could agree to that now.”

Naruto drew an exaggerated sigh as if a load had been lifted off _his_ shoulders. “Oh, that’s a relief. I don’t think I could stand you if you got yourself stuck in some loveless marriage; you’d be completely intolerable if you went around sulking all the time.”

Sasuke promptly flipped onto his stomach and swam towards the shore. “Whatever, dunce. Let’s get out of the water.”

While they dried off on the beach, something nagged at Sasuke despite the pleasant day he was having. He let Naruto pull his pants on before he asked about it; “Hey, I’ll be going away soon. Could you keep an eye on Sakura until I get back?”

Naruto stopped getting dressed. “Why would she need to be watched?” He quizzed.

“I don’t want her to be approached by members of my clan.” He paused to think. “Unless it’s my mother.”

Naruto looked skeptical, or perhaps apprehensive. “You worried something bad could happen to her?”

“Hm. Perhaps not right away, she can take care of herself… But I don’t want her to end up in some unpleasant situation while I’m gone.” Sasuke answered honestly.

Naruto gave him a sympathetic smile and shrugged. “Alright, I’m sure she’s fine, though. Worst case scenario she breaks someone’s jaw and has to weasel her way out of trouble with the Police.”

As amusing as the thought was in theory, Sasuke had to frown. That kind of dot on her record would hardly put her on his father’s good side, or the rest of the clan’s for that matter.

They both got dressed and while Naruto sat down to meditate, Sasuke sought out a tree where he could do pull-ups. There was something peaceful yet satisfying about repeating the same motion, enjoying the mild strain it put on his arms to lift his weight over and over. It did not take long to be caught in the rhythm and steadily work his way towards filling his system with lactic acid and dopamine.

Naruto joined him in working out. They carried on separate exercises in silence, for once not trying to compete, just coexisting as they trained. The day slipped away as they worked themselves towards exhaustion and Sasuke made no objections when Naruto predictably demanded dinner at Ichiraku’s.

The evening was warm. The village welcomed them, brimming with life and activity. Over steaming bowls of savory soup, it was hard not to feel at peace. It was difficult to remember that there was trouble brewing outside the snug walls of the little restaurant.

Even as he paid and they left, that peace followed him down the streets with Naruto by his side.

Just as they were about to split up, Sasuke halted as he realized what street they were on. He still had not given her his mother’s invitation to come over. He looked towards the direction of her home and asked, “is Sakura working tonight?”

“No. She said she only had day-shifts this week.” Naruto answered helpfully, before frowning and saying; "hey, you better not be thinking of ditching me to -"

With a quick thank you and goodbye, Sasuke ignored his probing question and changed his route and headed towards her apartment.


	12. Before we leave

Sakura could have opened the door for him but getting to unlock it with his own copy of her key was strangely satisfying. She still greeted him in the hallway, already dressed in a silky pajamas.

When he reminded her of his mother’s insistence to have her over she lit up like a lightbulb. When he assured her that he was fine with her meeting his family, she pulled him into a bone-crushing embrace that knocked the air out of his lungs.

Before he could say goodbye she clutched the font of his shirt. Strong hands pulled him to her, down and forward into gentle kisses on his lips, his cheek. One playful, happy peck landed on his nose. His head spun. It made him hesitate. But he pulled himself out of her hands and stroked her cheek. She was flushed, her eyes brimming with unadulterated joy when she looked at him.

He smiled back, brushing the nail of his thumb over her bottom lip. “See you tomorrow, Sakura.” He said, poking the diamond on her forehead.

Coming home, he found his parents gathered at the kitchen table. They were having tea and Mikoto was smiling about something, her face practically glowing where she sat. Pleasantly surprised, he sat down next to her and noted that his father seemed quite relaxed as well.

“Ah. Sasuke, welcome home. Your mother told me you spent the day with Naruto?” Fugaku greeted him, a friendly expression on his features.

Sasuke eyed him curiously and nodded. He turned to Mikoto, “I invited Sakura tomorrow evening, I figured you would want her over before we leave.”

She seemed pleased. “Perhaps a bit last minute, but that will be fine. We just received the final word from Lord Sixth that you are good to go.”

Sasuke glanced down the corridor towards his and his brother’s rooms. “Alright. Does Itachi know? We should tell him to rest before that.”

“He is sleeping. It seems he did not get much last night.” Fugaku said, following his eyes down the hall. Sasuke felt his mouth twitch at the comment. His father caught his reaction and raised an eyebrow. “What’s with you?” He asked pointedly.

Mikoto shot in before Sasuke was forced to come up with an answer, “I spoke with him this morning. Apparently he took some time off work.”

Fugaku turned to her, his brow still raised. “That so? How rare for him.”

Sasuke shrugged, leaning his elbow on the tabletop. Giving his father a sharp, incisive look he replied with “even geniuses need breaks.”

In the morning, Sasuke woke up with his mission backpack prepared and waiting by the door. It was the day before his journey with his father and brother – the first ever for the three of them to venture outside of Konoha. Had he been any younger he might have been nervous. By now he trusted his abilities, even if it was somewhat strange to imagine traveling with the two of them. He was used to seeing them at home; nowhere near the type of environments you faced on the road. If nothing else it would be interesting. As long as neither of them got hurt it could even be enjoyable.

Mikoto and Fugaku were having breakfast together in the kitchen. Sasuke greeted them politely, grabbed some food for himself and sat down by his mother’s side. When he saw that her teacup was empty, he got up and refilled it for her. She would never complain about it, but he had noticed the way she rose from kneeling and sitting with less grace than she used to… he suspected it was her knees that were getting stiffer. Whether it bothered her or not, Mikoto still smiled when he returned her cup to her.

Footsteps sounded through the hall, and he looked up to see a welcome figure joining them.

Sasuke perked up at the sight of his brother. He looked well-rested for once, though traces of drowsiness still marked his eyes. Something about him just seemed… at ease. Their parents noticed it too, judging by their mildly gratified expressions as they welcomed him to the table.

When he took the seat next to his father, Sasuke smirked at him. “Feels good to get enough sleep, doesn’t it?”

Itachi smiled softly back at him and uttered words that warmed Sasuke to his core: “it does. Perhaps I should have listened to you sooner.”

Grinning proudly, Sasuke leaned onto his elbow and watched him dig into his meal. It was so good to see him in such an uplifting state. Looking healthy and sitting at the table with the rest of them. He was way too isolated much of the time, and family without Itachi was just not right. Considering how used he had grown to him always missing out on their time together, having him there now was a rare treat.

They ate in pleasant silence, Sasuke reveling in having everyone together like this.

Sasuke was giving one of his swords a round of maintenance on his balcony when there was a knock on the door echoing through the house. The lightweight, skinny blade was more suited for missions outside the village than the katana. He left it out and headed down the stairs.

The house was quiet and empty. Both his parents had left after breakfast, and Itachi was busy preparing his own gear. He opened the door to find Shisui waiting on the other side. When their eyes met, the older Uchiha grinned at him. “Hello, Sasuke. Are you busy?”

Sasuke stepped aside, cocking his head at the guy. After all his years of friendship with Itachi it was normal for him to stop by, but it was strange for Shisui to ask for him and not his brother. Gesturing for him to come in, he considered the older Uchiha while he took off his shoes.

“What do you want?” Sasuke asked. He took his time neatly putting his shoes to the side and followed Sasuke inside.

“We need to talk, kid.” He said as if that explained itself. Sasuke began leading him towards the kitchen. Shisui shook his head. “Let’s go to your room, we should keep this private if possible.”

Raising an eyebrow, Sasuke changed direction and brought him up the stairs instead.

Shisui took a moment to let his eyes wander across the room. He had been there before when they were younger. Shisui might be eight years his senior but he had always been friendly and happy to indulge him when he was a kid. _Back then, having him around had almost felt like having a second older brother at times._ The thought almost made him smile – he had never thought Shisui actually _would_ become his brother eventually. If Itachi really wanted to marry him then surely he was as good as already, at least in-law.

It made him relax to think so. He sat down cross-legged on his bed and let Shisui take the armchair.

“You wanted to talk to me – talk.” Sasuke urged. Shisui gazed at him gently. Dark eyes, framed with long lashes, held a certain sharpness to them that told of inexplicable insight. The slight tenderness in them only increased the effect; it felt as if Shisui both could hear what he was thinking and wanted to empathize with him over it. Had it been anyone else it might have been unsettling to be looked at like that, but Shisui made him feel safe. It occurred to Sasuke then what Itachi must see in him – the kind of quiet, stoic strength and kindness he seemed to radiate reminded him of how he had always felt around his brother growing up. Like he was facing someone better than him. Someone with the power and maturity he himself lacked but desperately longed for.

The look was broken when Shisui smiled. “Itachi told me about the trip Fugaku-san has planned for you two. I have a feeling it will be… very educational. For you, especially.”

Sasuke lowered his brow, intrigued. “Father has promised to tell me some very interesting things, yes.” He confirmed, watching Shisui carefully. Sasuke thought it was very likely that Shisui knew about the conflict. He was old enough to have partaken in clan meetings for far longer than Sasuke, and there had always been whispers about him and his close relationship with the late Third Hokage.

Shisui’s smile widened, though it did not quite reach his eyes anymore.

“About time. If there is one thing I don’t envy about your family it’s the problems with communication you people have.” He tilted his head, holding Sasuke’s eyes with his own, still with that sad smile on his lips. “I’ll be blunt with you, Sasuke. I understand that you’re learning about our… less than fantastic diplomatic relations. It will be good to finally have you in the loop.”

Sasuke leaned forward then, too. Resting his arms on his knees and fully focused on the shinobi sitting across the room.

“Why was I kept out of it to begin with? I’m the clan head’s son, and the current Hokage is my mentor. If you let me know how then I could help.” It was not bragging, simply the truth. Still, it was not enough to convince Shisui to divulge.

He shook his head. “You should hear that from your family.”

Sasuke bit at the inside of his cheek. The confirmation of his knowledge was a decent piece of information in itself, but not much to build off. Irate, Sasuke feigned naivety and cocked his head at him. “What does it matter if I hear it from you or anyone else in my family?”

Shisui paused, blinking several times in genuine surprise.

“Huh?”

He stared stupidly at Sasuke, uncomprehending. Sasuke raised his brows and wondered if he was secretly an idiot after all. His eye twitched and he grew irate with having to explain something that should be obvious. “You _are_ family, asshole. Itachi says he wants to marry you, if he’s that serious about you it shouldn’t matter if it’s official or not.”

Shisui looked dumb struck. “He… he does?”

The stupid look did not suit him in the slightest, it was unseemly on an Uchiha and much more suited on someone foolish by nature - like Naruto, or Kakashi. Either way, it was undeniably amusing to see the old prodigy like that. Amusing enough to chase away the irritation from Sasuke’s mind.

The corners of his mouth twitched, wanting to curl into a smile. “Don’t tell me _you_ didn’t know that he does…”

Shisui cracked a smile too, scratching his head and looking quite puzzled. “Hah, I… just didn’t know he had told you that much.”

Sasuke smirked, beginning to feel quite smug. “Who was it that had communication problems again?”

Laughter broke out of Shisui, loudly and vigorously.

“Alright – you got me there. Still… I think Itachi would get mad at me if I told you about that. Ask him about it when you get the chance, I’m sure things will make sense in time.” He shook his head, making a pause before quickly looking Sasuke up-and-down. “What about you?” He smirked, “you are serious about Sakura-chan, aren’t you?”

The question was barely a question. Shisui knew him well enough to know he had no interest in messing around. It was objectively a waste of time if there was not an end goal in mind – but with Sakura it was like he could not for the life of him see time with her as any kind of waste. Even when all they did was act foolish the memories of it were precious and happy.

Being around her made him feel better – and like he was better.

So clearly, the answer was yes.

That did not mean it was an easy thing to say out loud.

“I already know it’s a problem.” Sasuke muttered.

“Unfortunately, yeah.” Shisui’s tilted his head, returning the frown while his eyes filled with regret. “I feel like a hypocrite, but I still have to tell you it will cause a stir if you take it further. Perhaps worse than the havoc we expect to wreck the minute I – “ he swallowed, “if people find out about me and your brother.”

Sasuke looked away. “Yeah. At least you two kept it within the clan.”

Shisui grinned apologetically. “That does not make it _practical_. But yeah, she will likely not be well-received if you do take it further with her. Many will not look kindly at an outsider getting into the leading family of our clan when they are already pissed at the village.”

“Hn. I’m aware.” Sasuke scrunched up his face. As embarrassing as it felt, he had no idea what the right way was out of this kind of mess while Shisui and Itachi had far more experience. Hesitant, he muttered out: “What… do you think I should do?”

Shisui looked at him curiously. “You’re asking me for advice?” When Sasuke quietly returned the look, he smirked. “Well, I don’t know Sasuke. Do you want to marry this girl?”

Blushing and painfully aware that he must look undignified, he averted his eyes.

“I don’t know that yet. We only just got together, deciding to spend your whole lives as a family takes more time than we’ve had.” He said, trying not to think about Sakura’s admission that her desire for the future did, in fact, include making it possible for them to marry. “Though I guess… Naruto once said something about not being able to imagine anything else… It’s kind of like that, too.”

Shisui snickered, crossing his arms over his stomach and clutching his sides. “Holy crap, you’re adorable.”

Finally able to fully face him again, Sasuke lowered his voice further and clenched his fists tighter. He ignored the comment and continued his own line of thought: “what I do know for sure is that I want the freedom to choose my own future.” He bit his lip. “How… How do I do that with everything that’s been going on?”

Shisui leaned back, tilting his head and smiling ruefully. “Honestly? All I can tell you is to make a decision and stick to it. You won’t get anywhere without determination.”

Silence settled between them. It was not entirely uncomfortable, there was a certain warmth to Shisui’s voice that seemed to linger in the room.

Using that silence, Sasuke thought. Shisui might be right. It would do him no good to worry about potential consequences of a decision to the point where he made none. He had to focus on his tasks.

Whatever happened, at least he had his family. Part of the problem or not – he had no doubt that they would have his back if he really needed them.

There was a knock on the door.

They both turned as it opened, facing the man in the hallway. Itachi looked unsurprised to see Shisui in Sasuke’s room and barely seemed to notice him.

“Sasuke, are you done packing?”

Looking between them, Sasuke went to grab his weapons and toolkit. As much as he needed to complete the maintenance on his sword and go over his sets of shuriken he got the feeling that they needed their privacy more.

“Just about. I’ll go downstairs to finish this.”

Sat on the engawa facing their garden with a grindstone in hand, Sasuke worked at his weapons until their edges were pristinely sharp.

The sun was high in the sky and it warmed the wooden terrace all around him. He set his tools to the side and spread out on the floor, relishing the sun beaming down on him. His feet dangled off the engawa and cooled slightly in the mild breeze, the wind tickling the soles of his feet.

Yawning, he figured he had another couple of hours before Sakura would show up.

He was not sure when he fell asleep, but when a hand fell on his shoulder and woke him up the sun had moved enough to indicate at least an hour had passed. The hand squeezed him before it left his body.

Rubbing his eye, Sasuke sat up and glanced over at his brother. “Did Shisui go home yet?”

Itachi nodded. He sat down by his side and let his legs dangle off the edge of the engawa just like Sasuke’s did. To Sasuke’s surprise and displeasure, he was reading that stupid, lewd book again. Left corner of his mouth twitching in sync with his eye, Sasuke glared at the orange cover of _‘Make-Out Paradise’._

“Are you serious?” He muttered cynically. Itachi just tilted his head and played innocent. “You’re _re_ reading it?!”

Flipping a page, Itachi kept running his eyes over the letters as if Sasuke had said nothing. Irritation swelled in him for real at that… but he thought he might have a way to get back at him.

Tilting his body closer and glancing at the pages over his brother’s arm, he saw that he was in fact in the middle of a rather steamy scene between the protagonist and his leading lady. Exaggerating a bemoaned sigh, he grumbled: “Seriously… Why do you read that when you have Shisui? Is he no good or something?”

Something like a cough burst out of Itachi. He buckled over forward and quickly leaned away from Sasuke, looking at him like he had just sprouted a second head. It was immensely hard not to laugh at him.

“Serves you right. I told you not to be like Kakashi and read that in the open.” He said instead, forcing the laugh to stay down his throat. Itachi looked entirely bewildered.

He shut the book and put it down on the engawa between them. Then he cleared his throat. “I admit, that is not the reaction I was anticipating.”

Sasuke gave him a smug look. He suspected Itachi had only brought it out to provoke him in the first place; must be disappointing for him that he did not fall into his trap. Though at least he could have the decency of admitting defeat when Sasuke had flipped the table on him.

“Did he say why he gave it to you, anyway? I asked, but he would not give me any details.” Sasuke asked. It was blunt, but he saw no reason to skirt around it. “Kakashi, I mean. He said you might be lonely, and for some reason he thought it was his fault.”

Itachi’s mouth twitched. “I see.”

Dissatisfied was not strong enough a word to describe how Sasuke felt about that answer.

“Come on, why would he think you were lonely and give you… that?” It was a genuine mystery. Sure, Itachi kept to himself most of the time but he had people around him. Even if he knew nothing about Shisui he should not assume Itachi needed smut to be happy. It was insulting. Sasuke pointed to the book. “You can tell me, _Nii-san_.”

Itachi paused. His face was anything but blank for once. He was distinctly amused. Whatever he and Shisui had talked about upstairs it had clearly put him at ease if he was this easygoing and willing to emote openly.

Tipping his head, Itachi leaned very slightly closer. There was a small spark of mischief to his eyes. “You really want to know, Sasuke? It’s embarrassing.”

 _Embarassing?_ Sasuke blinked. That just made it way more intriguing! He leaned in too, giving Itachi his ear. He nodded. Firmly. Eagerly.

“Very well… since it’s you I guess I can say it…” Itachi began. Sasuke’s eyes widened and he paid outmost attention. Itachi’s mouth opened slowly, painfully so. A noise was just forming on his lips when there was a noise from inside the house, and Itachi suddenly rose. “Oh, I believe they’re home.”

He left. Sasuke pouted. _Just like him to find an excuse to bail at the last second_! A short moment later, both their parents appeared through a sliding door behind him. He was just about to greet them when Fugaku’s eyes found the orange cover of the abandoned book by Sasuke’s side. He raised both brows in disgusted shock.

Realizing what must go through his mind, and what Itachi had done, he jumped to his feet and chased after his infuriating sibling.

“ITACHI!!”

Sasuke was helping his mother prepare dinner when Sakura arrived. Confronting his brother had resulted in a lot of laughter for Itachi and a bruised forehead for Sasuke. The two dots where Itachi’s fingers had landed their final blow during their fight to settle the ‘ _Icha-Icha_ dispute’ were steadily turning blue and purple. It was probably quite ugly, but he would much rather people see the bruises than the shameful sight of him tipping backwards through a paper screen from the sheer force with which Itachi had hit him there.

A grumbled vow to take revenge had escaped him when he staggered to his feet, facing down his opponent with fury in his eyes and so much blood in his cheeks they could rival the red of the Uchiwa on his back.

Unfortunately, taking his revenge would have to wait. Their father had interrupted before he could exact it.

Reprimanded and thoroughly humbled he had been given little choice but to retreat.

He wiped his hands on a kitchen towel to go let Sakura in but Itachi moved faster. By the time Sasuke got to the main entrance she was already in their hallway and handing him a bouquet of lush pink flowers held together by a dark-blue ribbon.

“These are peonies, I thought Mikoto-san might enjoy them.” Sakura explained. Itachi held the flowers gently and thanked her on their mother’s behalf. When she caught Sasuke watching them her cheeks turned pink like the flowers.

Back in the kitchen, Sasuke resumed his task at the stove and let the rest of them interact as they pleased. Mikoto seemed instantly happy to see the younger woman and taken with the gift she offered. She held the bouquet and touched a petal with careful grace. There was curiosity on her face, amusement on her voice.

“A happy life?” Mikoto asked softly. Sasuke felt a slight curiosity himself, glancing over at Sakura to see her waving her hands in front of her and turning quite red.

“I- I was thinking more about the ‘good health and prosperity’ part!” Sakura exclaimed and Mikoto smiled hearteningly.

“I see. Forgive my hasty interpretation. It has been a long time since I was taught the language of flowers.”

Sasuke let them exchange polite words and pleasantries without interference. Perhaps he should have been tenser than he felt, listening to them talk behind him while he cooked. Meeting family was far from something you did casually. He understood the implications, even if it had been on his mother’s insistence rather than his own that she was here.

He had not yet decided if he would eventually ask for her hand or not. Bringing her over would paint the picture that he considered it a possibility, however. It would at the very least prove to his father that he was not toying with her.

Fugaku was the last to join them. When he entered, Sakura did a surprisingly good job at keeping her cool. She was clearly quite nervous but she bowed politely and greeted him with a grace which the patriarch returned. It was a relief. After their last exchange Sasuke had only half-hoped Fugaku would find it in him to be civil and not push her buttons with insensitivity. If he did, there was a high risk of Sakura getting insecure, and that if anything could spell the doom to her chances of approval with the man.

Mikoto insisted on taking over at the stove, sending Sasuke to go sit with the others at the table. Itachi sat alone at the far end, Fugaku to his right with space left for his wife at his side. Sasuke claimed the other side of his brother, and Sakura kneeled neatly next to him. _Strategic_ , he thought. She let him be opposite of Fugaku, effectively creating a small distance between her and his father. He shot her a knowing glance. Staying out of the direct line of fire and instead picking a position suited for providing quick back-up was very fitting for a medical ninja.

The idea of treating this as a battle amused him, even if it was _his_ family they were facing.

Her eyes wandered up, above his eyes. She furrowed her brow. He had almost forgotten about the bruise.

“Sasuke-kun, what happened to your forehead?”

Rather than responding, he dismissed her mild concern and shot a burning look in Itachi’s direction. There was not a hint of remorse on his brother’s face. All he did was smile as if he had never done anything wrong in his life.

“Want me to remove it for you?” She asked. Honestly, he did not care. It did not bother him and would not even be visible under his forehead protector. Still, she put a hand to his skin.

Her chakra was warm. Soothing as it seeped into his cells and repaired the tissue underneath his skin. The green glow was strong and steady. When it was this close to his eyes he could see it even with his eyes closed. When she pulled her hand away a moment later he rubbed the spot and noted the flawless work.

“That was quick. You’re a very skilled healer.” Itachi commented. That charm of his was on now, gentle and warm in a way that both utilized his gentle nature and concealed his outrageous intelligence. She smiled at him.

“I get a lot of practice – there’s never a day without genin coming in after beating each other black and blue in the training grounds.”

Itachi closed his eyes, his smile widening at her, “I imagine my brother was no better. I apologize if he caused you any trouble.”

She giggled and Sasuke sneered. Mildly insulting or not it seemed Itachi was trying to boost her confidence. If he was, it worked. Sakura looked very happy.

Mikoto left the stove and came to have the seat next to her husband. She patted his knee encouragingly as she did. Fugaku cleared his throat. It threw Sasuke off by how eerily similar it was to how Itachi had done the same thing on the engawa.

“I should welcome you to our home. Your last visit was far from ideal, I hope we have not left a poor impression on you.” He said with blunt honesty. Sakura lowered her head with her hands on her knees, a courteous gesture of gratitude.

“You are very kind, Fugaku-san, but there is no need to apologize. I hope my own behavior did not paint too poor a picture.” She did not smile while she spoke. Her pretty face as sincere and serious as her voice.

“ _You_ did nothing wrong.” Fugaku said stoically. Her brows tensed up at that, a small wrinkle appearing between them. His father did not notice, he simply continued, “I understand you came here on my wife’s invitation, but considering your relationship to Sasuke we should treat this accordingly.”

Redness touched her cheeks as she nodded slowly but she did not falter or hesitate. Sasuke felt eyes on him and realized he had been looking at her for too long.

“Surely, such a topic can wait until after dinner. Let’s not be hasty with our guest.” Itachi said firmly. A sting of gratitude shot through Sasuke – both for this and for his kind words to Sakura. Maybe falling through a paper screen was worth it if it meant his brother had his back now. Fugaku grunted, relenting to Itachi’s point.

They went on to have dinner. The women handled most of the talking, leaving the three men to have their meal in relative quiet. It seemed to be just as well – it _was_ Mikoto who said she wanted to get to know her. Occasionally they would shoot a question towards one of their male companions at the table and receive respectful, simple replies in turn. Overall, it was not terrible… not even when Sakura gave a nearly fifteen-minute-long answer to a question about the research project she was heading. Mikoto seemed mildly bewildered by the extensive answer riddled with medical terms, but her getting caught up and accidentally showing off her expertise might actually have worked to her benefit. Itachi for one listened with great interest and even Fugaku did not look entirely displeased as she went on.

At one point Sasuke interrupted her, saying “none of us are medic-nins. It’s easier to just show us.” Sakura blushed, quickly apologizing for getting so carried away. She held out her hands in front of her and made a steady sequence of hand signs until green light filled her hands.

“The theory is quite simple, really. The process of killing and repairing cells is already quite similar, just a slight adjustment to how you weave your chakra. So to target cancer cells all you have to do is narrow the scope of your scalpel – “the green light changed shape, thin pillars of blue merging with the green emanating off her palms, “while continuing to protect the healthy tissue. It works, but we have to figure out a way to simplify the process.”

Itachi leaned forward, the green and blue reflecting against the black of his eyes as they honed in on her hands. “You combined a healing formula with a destructive one.”

“Did you invent this jutsu?” Mikoto shot in, her eyes wide. Sakura cut the flow of chakra in her hands.

“I’m the only one who can get the scalpels right so far, but really the theory behind it is nothing new. I just puzzled it together from other people’s work.” She tried to act bashful, but her pride and her delight were glaringly obvious under the humility. On missions she could lie through her teeth but somehow, she remained an awful actress at home.

Scoffing, Sasuke smirked and poked her head with his chopsticks. “Quit trying to fight off compliments like you wouldn't hate winning.”

Sakura helped Mikoto clear away the table and Fugaku led his sons to wait for them in the tatami room. Sasuke had wanted to help with the dishes but he did not find the chance to offer. It seemed strange that Sakura would do dishes in his home when she was there as a guest. Then again it might be more comfortable for her than being cornered by his father in this room.

It would have been nice to avoid ending up there himself.

Fugaku left the door open in waiting for the women. Spread out on cushions, the three of them kneeled in a tense formation. Sasuke looked to his father. He was trying not to dread, but in this particular room it was difficult not to.

The three men sat in tense silence. Sounds from the kitchen could be heard faintly from down the hall.

Itachi’s elbow bumped against Sasuke’s upper arm. When he glanced over, he saw his big brother giving him a reassuring smile. “No need to be nervous. _You_ have done nothing wrong, either.” Itachi said; emphatically mimicking Fugaku’s words at the table and flipping them to be words of comfort rather than reprimand. Sasuke returned the smile, somewhat uncertain.

Fugaku acknowledged his eldest’s words with a tired sigh. “Itachi, it is not acceptable for him to be running around with girls like that.”

Blood rushed to his head, but Sasuke swallowed his pride. Itachi on the other hand seemed perfectly calm and steady in his disagreement with their father. “Sakura-chan is hardly multiple women. And he is practically of age... if he wishes to have a partner then it is none of our business who it is.”

“It is our business when it could affect the future of – “Fugaku started, but the sound of footsteps down the hall cut him off.

Mikoto entered the room, tailed by an extremely happy Sakura. Her cheeks were rosy and her green eyes practically shone with delight. Such joy coming into the room Sasuke primarily associated with unpleasant conversation, harsh critique and stern commands was a profound contrast to what he was used to. She took the seat next to him and greeted him with a cute nod of her head and light lift of her shoulder. He realized he risked looking like an idiot if he did not take control of his face, so he forced his eyes off her.

He waited for someone else to start. It was not like he had any experience with situations like this and the last thing he wanted was a slip-up caused by being too hasty.

Almost in perfect synchronization, both Fugaku and Itachi motioned to clear their throats behind their hands. Sasuke’s eyes widened slightly while theirs turned towards one another. The look they exchanged was… perplexing.

Fugaku ended up with the first word.

“So. Since you are here I can only assume that you are serious about pursuing a relationship with my son. What are your thoughts on what that would entail?”

She shifted, slightly uncomfortably. “Oh. Whatever makes us both happy, I guess. I wouldn’t want to impose by planning stuff for him.”

Itachi replied quickly. “It is good to hear you have such respect for his freedom.”

“But knowing what is expected of you ahead of time is essential.” Fugaku shot back, looking more at his eldest than at his guest. “What of your own aspirations? Do you have any career goals you have yet to accomplish?”

Sakura smiled politely, in a way that seemed slightly dishonest. “Besides the research? I’d like to open my own clinic. I’m especially interested in the lacking availability of mental health treatment.”

Fugaku was fast this time, “that could take many years to accomplish. Will you have time to do that while maintaining a serious relationship?”

“The same is true for Sasuke’s ambitions.” Itachi interrupted. “Do you intend to make sure he is single until you are done grooming him to be chief of Police after you?”

Sasuke stared at them. His brother and father glowered, their dark eyes narrowing and glaring daggers at the other. He barely had time to wonder what was going on before they began another round of verbal sparring, Fugaku making the first move by asking about her parents and Itachi retorting that if they were persons of interest then speaking to them directly would be more appropriate.

Sakura was not even being included in the conversation at this point. The situation had quickly turned into a discussion between the patriarch and his heir and even Mikoto looked bewildered by it.

“The Haruno is a small family, if I recall correctly.” Fugaku said, not unkindly but also not very politely.

Itachi on the other hand was cold and heavy with his wording; “being without the ties of an old-fashioned, inflexible heritage is not a weakness. It gives one the ability to think freely and to see matters objectively.”

Their father stilled where he sat. The contact between their eyes had turned dangerously chilly at this point. Sasuke gaped at them. _What the hell are they doing? Why are they fighting right in front of Sakura?_ He had never seen them act like this in front of company before, and it was unnerving.

Sakura herself certainly seemed to wonder the same thing, judging by the way she was observing the two men. She seemed at edge, attentive and like she was reading the men carefully.

“Are you implying that is the case for our clan as well?” Fugaku growled, anger rising and the façade of this still being questions for Sakura slipping away completely.

Itachi rose to the challenge just as quickly, however. His cold wit meeting the fiery force of his father's temperament. “I know it is. If we were led by understanding rather than this insufferable _pride_ then perhaps we would do a better job at protecting our people from all the cruelty – “he shut his mouth when a kunai landed and burrowed deep into the tatami between him and his father.

They turned slowly towards Mikoto. She was smiling. Threateningly.

“You are embarrassing yourselves in front of our guest.” Her words dripped with something Sasuke could only assume was _killing intent_. He was strangely excited by it – so it _was_ true that women could infuse their words with chakra! His theory was correct! Or perhaps, she just knew exactly what to say to humble her husband and her son.

Either way, the way they deflated at the words was priceless.

Muttered apologies made their way across the room to a stern Mikoto, a befuddled Sasuke, and an absolutely radiant Sakura.

Breaking the tension and spreading a sound he had never heard in this room, she laughed. “I’m sorry if this is too forward, but I’m really glad Sasuke-kun has such a loving family.”

Tea was a strange affair after that. Whatever had come over them subsided, allowing them to get very close to actually enjoying the remainders of the evening. When they bowed goodbye outside the house Sasuke felt elated. Just as he was about to offer walking her home, Sakura clapped her hands together and asked him first.

“Sorry! I forgot I have something to give you before you leave – would you walk me home so you can pick it up?”

Sasuke shrugged. “Sure. I should do that anyway, it’s late.”

They walked. His family went back inside.

“’ _Families argue’_ , huh.” She murmured. He tipped his head at her, and caught her eye. “You told me that last time, remember? But I didn’t know they argued like that about you.”

Well, neither did he, if he was being honest.

Once inside her apartment, she went into her room and came back with a compact little bag. She handed it to him and he immediately noted the large red cross stitched over the lid. “It’s a med-kit. I customized the contents a bit to make it more versatile than the standard-issues.”

He met her gaze. She looked content, and just a little bit worried. He supposed he could not blame her if it made her concerned to know they would be on the road without her. Peacetime or not, the world was dangerous. He took a step closer to her.

He could not recall why they had not bothered turning on the lights when they entered. It was not completely dark, but enough that what little light there was reflected against her eyes – darker than they ever seemed during the day.

Her lips looked darker too.

But apparently they felt the same.

Somehow they moved without thinking across the apartment, haphazardly throwing themselves onto her bed while tugging at the fabric getting in the way between them. Sasuke threw her qipao away and she pulled her tights off. His shirt vanished with a swift yank over his head and when his mouth had both found and left hers again he could not stop himself from asking for permission.

“Sakura… Can I try it again?” His fingers clutched the insides of her thighs and he longed to have her get more comfortable with him, wanting to find out as many quirks about her and her body as he could while he had the chance. She inhaled. Her fingers found his hair. She pulled at it, leading his head down the length of her body.

“Yes.” 


	13. Leaving Mikoto

When Sasuke came home, the house was quieter than it should have been. Most days and evenings alike, their home was free from ruckus, but while they kept the house orderly it was never completely without noise. It was an easily forgettable, yet undeniable part of living with other people that you could hear them. Walls and floors carried reminders of his family’s presence whenever they were around. Footsteps through a hallway, voices from another room, splashes of water from a sink… The reminders were many, and constant. Even while they slept, soft noises of rhythmic breathing and the occasional snore or grunt traveled through the building and served a gentle hint that familiar company was close by. Company he might not always crave but which he found impossible to imagine a life without.

So when he stepped into a silent house, Sasuke wondered where they might have gone. Probably not far – it was late in the evening and they had an early morning ahead of them.

He took off his shoes and stepped inside. To not disturb the quiet he moved soundlessly for once, partially raising the guard that he usually lowered around his family.

Walking down the hall, he started hearing them. Faint, low voices muddled by walls reached him and he followed the sound of them. There was something familiar about the situation – it felt like he had been in this situation before. Before he learned to keep his distance from conversations meant to exclude him, he had walked into them several times, always regretting it afterwards as it so distinctively felt like he had done something very wrong. Even if all he did was listen in he never got away with it, thanks to Itachi.

So he stopped trying to be included, for most of his teenage years at least.

Sasuke stood still in the hallway and listened. He thought about their behavior earlier that evening. Arguing in front of a guest was unlike them. Being a bit harsh on Sakura and asking her about their relationship was one thing – turning it into a personal dispute right in front of her was a whole other. That was just inappropriate.

Considering they already broke from decency he decided that tonight, he could break polite habits, too.

Instead of turning the other way he followed the sounds of their voices towards the garden. Spontaneously, he raised his guard to see if his stealth could compete with Itachi’s senses this time around.

While approaching the sliding doors that led out onto the engawa, he began to make out the words they were exchanging outside. From what he caught as he approached, his father and his brother were still at a disagreement. It was his mother he could make out clearly however:

“Your bickering was poorly timed, but ultimately harmless. She is likely to think of that as normal arguing between a strict father and an overprotective older sibling… What truly surprised me was how the two of you could get so close to opening your mouths on sensitive clan matters right in front of an outsider – I had no choice but to interfere.”

There was a tense pause, before Itachi answered her.

“I apologize, though we would never say anything confidential.”

Sasuke could hear Mikoto sigh, and wondered what sort of expression she was making as she spoke.

“We are in a delicate situation… it would be wise to settle your disagreements in private before they can cause trouble.” She made another short pause, “please, just remember that you do have a common goal… and try to compromise, okay?”

 _A common goal?_ He leaned closer to the sliding door, interest piqued and senses on high alert.

“Yes. We will do whatever it takes to protect Sasuke, that has not changed.” Fugaku said, quite matter of fact, as it this should be a given. Sasuke himself, could not agree that it was.

Nor was he entirely sure how to feel about it. _They still talk as if I’m a kid,_ he thought begrudgingly, leaning away from the door. Them wanting to keep him safe was nothing inherently new… he was used to being the youngest and the protectiveness his family showed as a result. However, he did not appreciate them going behind his back.

 _Considering what Mother said about clan matters I can only assume they are referring to whatever has gone on with the village._ He listened for further clues. _Did they keep me out of it to protect me? Why would they feel the need to do that?_

Itachi answered their father as calmly as ever, “I believe you. Though, I ask you to consider the line between protecting and controlling, Father. Judging him for choices he’s made while kept uninformed will do him no good.” Itachi took a slow breath, “Indiscreet as he might be… we do not force our people to submission, do we? Even arranged matches require both parties’ consent in our clan. What he wants… who he loves can’t be changed against his will.”

Sasuke flinched, thinking; _He was weirdly defensive when Father tried to grill Sakura. Is that how he feels?_ Frowning to himself, he suffered a fierce spike of sympathy for his brother. It must hit close to home, to not be able to choose who you loved.

Their father most likely did not hear what Sasuke did between the lines, as he replied, “Itachi, let us not delve into that again. We’ve done enough talking for one evening.”

Taking that as the end of their conversation, he snuck back into the hallway and pretended to come home, making noises and signs of him approaching like he normally would.

He opened the sliding door.

Itachi stared blankly at him, thinking for several seconds.

“Welcome home.” He promptly stepped onto the engawa, passing Sasuke to go through the open door into the house and removing himself from the group. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Fugaku rubbed the back of his neck tensely, then followed behind Itachi without a word.

“Don’t mind them, they are both being stubborn fools tonight.” His mother chipped. “What a strange evening.” She said softly. He looked at her where she stood in the grass, looking him up and down as if examining him with her eyes. Stars reflected in the black of them, fitting her pale beauty perfectly. “So many surprises.”

She turned those eyes directly onto his. They glimmered with something that had nothing to do with the stars. “I am pleased that you finally brought her over, their behavior notwithstanding.”

Sasuke said nothing, but it seemed his ears and cheeks wanted to shout out for him. They felt far warmer than they should.

“Your brother certainly is supportive.” She said, smiling. “Perhaps I should not be surprised; you two always do better when you join forces.”

“What do you think, though?” Sasuke asked, almost automatically. His mother had given him every reason to think she approved, but even if she did like Sakura, she was also a person who made it easy to forget how intelligent she was. Like him, she rarely made choices based off feeling when logic was an option. 

“I think you might really love her.” She said without hesitation, “if the way you were watching her all evening was any indication.” His heart seemed to skip a beat, and he looked at her with wider eyes than before. Catching his reaction, her smile changed. “Don’t misunderstand me, I share your father’s concerns. I’m just far less hot-tempered than he is. I won’t make a judgement until I know more about her.” She lifted her arms, bringing her hands to the back of her neck. Pale, slender fingers grasped the necktie of her apron and pulled it forward, over her head. “Naturally, I will have to accept your decision… whatever you set your heart on.” She undid the tie around her waist as well, taking the apron off. “But… if you will heed my advice then just think independently. Those two are intelligent enough, but they are blinded by their worry and they forget how competent you are.”

“While you see clearly?” He asked, wondering bitterly if she was under the impression that he wanted anything other than what was best for everyone. 

She folded the apron patiently, then climbed onto the engawa and took his hand. “It’s one of my greatest strengths. It got me very far as a shinobi.” She winked. “That, and my good looks.”

Amused, he returned her smile. His mother pulled him into her arms. Sasuke blinked, but automatically put his hands on her shoulders. She was firm and warm. Her familiar body was smaller than his, and yet it felt like he melted into it. He was not sure how, but her strong arms, soft front and nostalgic scent made him feel like he was little again – just a confused kid being brought into a hug by his mother. At least her request for him reflected his actual age: “you be careful. Keep an eye out for my husband and your brother. Bring them home safely to me, okay?”

That was one promise he had no trouble making, and one he would do anything to keep. He offered it softly, in a low murmur over her shoulder, “I will.”

She put a hand to the back of his head, caressing his hair.

“I’ll leave them in your care then, Sasuke.”

The house was full of small noises that night. Despite the slight tension in his shoulders, Sasuke slept deep and well.

Morning came early for all of them. Before the first signs of sunrise all four of them were up, attending to their last round of packing and checking their preparations. Breakfast was a quick and quiet affair. The three men were in mission gear – more practical and protective than the casual, simple fabrics they usually wore around the house. Itachi seemed as indifferent as ever and simply wore standard issue chūnin gear, while Fugaku’s clothes and light armor seemed outdated and old fashioned.

Mikoto’s apron was nowhere to be seen all morning.

Soon enough, it was time to go. Packs on their backs and fully dressed for traveling, they gathered outside the main entrance to let Mikoto say her goodbyes. She stepped up to Itachi first, cupping his cheek and running her thumb along the line on his face. “We’ll have a lot to talk about when you get back. Try not to worry too much before then, okay? I’m sure all will be well if only we can work together instead of against each other.”

Itachi smiled softly. “Thank you, Mother.”

Mikoto patted his cheek playfully and went to Sasuke next. He tipped his head at her, thinking he might get another hug, but instead she took his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. A slightly mischievous smile spread across her face. “I’ll miss your help around the house. Come back safe and sound so I can make you do a lot of chores right away, yes?”

Sasuke smirked, agreeing to do his best.

Finally, she stepped in front of Fugaku. With one hand she smoothed out the sleeve on his right arm, pinching the fabric at his wrist and lingering there. “Don’t overexert yourself out there, let our boys do the heavy lifting. The road is not kind to old bodies.”

Fugaku huffed, but did not argue. She looked up at him, and leaned forward and up – onto the tips of her toes. Tugging at the sleeve in her hand she drew him towards her and placed a short, chaste kiss on his lips. Sasuke stared on blankly, quietly wishing they would have gone for a hug instead, but knowing far better than to say anything. Itachi seemed to read his mind though, shooting him an entertained sideways glance.

“I’ll leave things to you. If anything happens you just send us a message.” Her husband said courtly, ignoring his sons. Mikoto nodded and let go of him. She stepped back and waved at them as they turned around. All three of them raised their hands politely to bid her farewell.

Walking through the compound, they passed plenty of familiar, friendly faces despite the early hour. Clansmen waving and wishing them a safe journey from their doormats, the street, and their shopfronts.

Outside the compound there were far more people, but fewer were cheerful towards them. They passed through the village at an easy pace regardless towards the open gates.

Out of the village, the walls behind their backs and the open road stretched out before them, Sasuke could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of freedom.

Despite looking forward to moving on with his career, he was going to miss traveling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! This was a relief to get done, I've been so excited to get the continuation rolling but it took a lot of time to plan this following arc out right :)  
> From this chapter on there is going to be some good old fashion ninja traveling and action! Expect fighting, canon-typical violence, and more intrigue than before! I'm working as fast as I can on writing stuff done, though I will be careful and take my time to get the pieces in order so I don't have to regret anything and go back to change things ^^ 
> 
> Thank you so so much for all the encouragement and I very much appreciate everyone's feedback - you people are absolute DARLINGS in the comments! If you feel like talking to me or just want to get spammed with the real extent of my obsession with the Uchihas you can find me on tumblr; my ULR is fictionalquacker.


	14. On the Road

**Big thank you to[Never_Stray](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Never_Stray/pseuds/Never_Stray) for Beta reading this chapter! <3 **

* * *

Walking the long road with Team 7 had been nothing like wandering with Itachi and Fugaku. With his old team, silence was a comfortable pause that left room for thought, taking in the environment, or just concentration on the task at hand. With these two it seemed more obligatory than anything else. Unexpectedly, he realized that he missed having Naruto and Sakura by his sides as they put Konoha behind them.

Despite that, being out of the village truly was freeing. The sky was clear above his head, the wind fresh and gentle in his hair, ruffling it and making the black strands flutter the same as they did to the countless leaves on the trees all around him. Sasuke enjoyed the feeling of it – just walking without walls or responsibility holding him to a strictly confined part of the wide world and everything it had to offer.

His good mood seemed to rub off on Itachi. Although clearly focused on their surroundings, Sasuke caught him stealing glances in his direction. Their eyes met and Sasuke stepped closer, slowing their pace and letting their father stroll on in front of them. When he had a safe distance between them and him, it seemed safe to speak if they kept their voices down.

Even so, Sasuke kept his voice almost unnecessarily low. “Shisui came to talk to me the other day. Did you sic him on me or did he come up with that by himself?”

Itachi hummed, smiling innocently. “Why would I send anyone to attack my own little brother, Sasuke?”

“To say things you prefer not to.” Sasuke answered bluntly. Itachi sighed and his smile faltered.

“It was his idea. Don’t worry, if there is anything you need to know then I will tell you directly.”

“Hm…” Sasuke muttered, letting his eyes glide over to their father’s back, “and what about him? Are you going to tell him about Shisui?”

Itachi fell into his blank look, following Sasuke’s gaze with his own.

“I intend to. Or rather, I believe I have to, if I am to get what I want.”

On impulse, Sasuke took a page out of Naruto’s book and bumped his brother’s arm with a fist, though he made sure to frown while he did it. “He’s an Uchiha – you know he’s not like people in the village. And if he gets hung up on the practical side of things, I’ve got your back.”

The smile returned to Itachi’s face. A silent gesture of gratitude over a simple, brotherly agreement.

The sun was just about to set when they had a small fire going. Itachi boiled rations of rice and dried fish in a small pot. Fugaku was sitting on a tree stump, his eyes glued to a map. He waved Sasuke over without looking up and put a finger to a point far south, near the border to the Land of Tea.

“Our destination is in this area. I have not been there since the third shinobi war, so the environment might have changed. Still, there is no reason we should not be able to find it.”

Sasuke nodded, noting the exact spot on the map and sitting down by the fire. “What do we need to know about the place?”

Itachi took the pot off the fire and began serving them, handing their father the first portion. Fugaku nodded in thanks, putting the map away and looking to Sasuke. “It’s an old structure that was built and used by our ancestors during the Warring States era, before Konoha was first built. It is technically a hideout, but it is large and secure enough to serve as a stronghold for the entire clan.”

Sasuke tipped his head, accepting his serving from Itachi. “Why is it not in use? It sounds like it could be a convenient outpost.” He asked. Itachi sat back down where he could watch both of them, staring blankly at his father.

Fugaku grunted, eyes lingering on his oldest son before he answered. “It would be, yes. It is between two of our neighboring countries and close to the sea. If the Hidden Leaf knew about it, it would not take long to turn it into a base for military and trade alike.”

“But the Leaf has never been informed, nobody outside of the Uchiha are aware of its existence… let alone its location, as far as we know.” Itachi cut in, “quite noteworthy, considering for how many years it has been left unguarded.”

Sasuke shot a look between them. They were very intentionally _not_ looking at each other, and while he could tell Itachi was disguising his thoughts, their father had easily detectable signs of tension on both his face and in the way he held his shoulders. Sasuke leaned forward with his arms on his knees.

“Why not? If it is useful it should be used – why keep it from the village?” He watched the older men, getting very little in terms of reactions for a long moment. When Itachi did finally answer him, a severity came over him.

“Some would say for security, others would answer it is because of distrust.”

The words lingered in the air, and Itachi’s cold, serious stare turned to their father. Fugaku caught it and sighed as if in resignation. “When Madara Uchiha forged the initial alliance with the Senju and built Konoha, there was still much distrust between the clans. They decided to continue keeping the location secret just in case. To have an emergency shelter for our people, should we ever be forced to leave Konoha.”

Staring, Sasuke felt his jaw go slightly slack and his mind blank for a moment, before it began spinning into action. _What?_ Was his first thought, followed by a myriad of attempts at analyze and weave the statement into a possible explanation for it. “Are you saying there is a possible need for somewhere secret to potentially hide the clan… from our own village?”

Itachi did not so much as blink.

“There was, at one point. Now it has become highly unlikely.”

A small wave of anger came over Sasuke. At first, it was anger at them for keeping something so severe away from him, and at himself for not digging further into this sooner. After a moment however, his anger turned and became directed towards the village.

If there was a dispute between the village and a clan it was the Hokage’s duty to resolve it. That was part of the alliance for every clan within Konoha. The village provided unity, peace, and plentiful business ventures and in return the clans provided its military with shinobi. Members of the Uchiha trained, fought, and died for Konoha. The thought of that sacrifice being returned with a threat to their safety so great that they might have had to take shelter far away from the village they gave their own lives to protect disgusted him.

Sasuke turned to his father for confirmation, but Fugaku just looked to Itachi with gravity and… gratitude?

 _What’s with that look…?_ He felt the anger simmer within his gut, but he kept it under control and said nothing of it. Instead, he put on a calm face and asked his brother, “how long ago?”

Itachi surrendered none of his emotions on the topic, stating coolly; “I would say the issue culminated eleven years ago, and slowly receded for several years after that.”

 _He was fourteen then,_ Sasuke realized. Itachi had been involved the conflict when he was just a teenager. He almost felt stupid for the pang of surprise, disappointment and concern he felt at the revelation – Itachi had always been ridiculously ahead of the curve. It was only to be expected that we got dragged into important matters early. At the time in question he would have been an ANBU captain already, most likely working in direct contact with the Third Hokage. But somehow fourteen just seemed so… young.

Besides the sudden sympathy for his older brother, the anger in his core bubbled at the thought of being kept away from something so serious while it was piled onto Itachi. He swallowed his thoughts along with his pride, stuffing it away where it would not cloud his judgement.

“It is a relief how things have changed. The situation today might not be ideal, and our people remember those days far too well, but I am glad at least you got to grow up as a normal Konoha citizen.” Fugaku said, less stoic than usual. “Now then, let’s not be stuck in the past. Let us eat and get some rest so we’re in good shape tomorrow.”

Itachi shot him a long look, but he did not disagree.

That night, Sasuke insisted on taking the middle shift guarding the camp. He was the youngest and most used to roughing it, so he wanted the others to get the most consecutive hours of rest possible.

When it was his turn Itachi woke him up with a gentle prod. He sat right next to him, side-by-side and near enough to poke him in the ribs with a simple stretch of his arm. Sasuke blinked the sleep out of his eyes and got out of his sleeping bag, ready for his turn to keep watch. Itachi’s head was tipped up towards the sky, his dark eyes reflecting the stars much like their mother’s did back home. Sasuke wondered why he was hesitating. There was something serene about his brother, and yet, it was not a happy serenity on his features. The tranquility was colored by sadness.

He watched his brother carefully, quietly asking him what the matter was.

“Mother and Shisui both say I worry too much. Perhaps they are right.” Itachi murmured, no louder than a light whisper.

“What are you worried about?” Sasuke asked simply.

Itachi was unflinching, not moving a muscle beyond his mouth. It seemed as if he was not fully present, as if his attention was somewhere far away. Judging by his face it could not have been a pleasant place.

Slowly, he closed his eyes and lowered his head.

“It is nothing I wish to explain right now... we have dwelled in the past for too long. Tomorrow we shall move towards the future.”

Itachi’s words seemed to linger in the dark clearing, as if it clung to the silence that followed. Sasuke said nothing to break it. He watched his brother roll out his sleeping bag and when he closed them, Sasuke wondered what he saw behind those heavy, tired eyes of his.

That night was quiet and calm aside from the wind and yet Sasuke kept his guard up while he watched the camp. The midpoint of his shift was approaching, the moon high above his head basked the clearing in a cold, mild light. Surrounded by trees, they were shielded from most of the wind and yet a chill ran down his spine and he got a very familiar sense of danger.

He immediately got up to stand guard, one hand on the hilt of his sword. Something was approaching. He was just about to warn the others when he spotted it.

A small brown snake slithered out from under a bush and headed straight towards his ankles. It was shockingly fast - but Sasuke was quicker. He drew his sword and pierced through the snake’s head which split its skull right before it reached his feet. The animal thrashed and twisted, twitching irrationally against the ground as it died.

Once it was immobile Sasuke squatted next to it and investigated the body. He did not recognize the type of snake. Though he was far from an expert he had read about the common venomous species living in the wild of the Land of Fire for the sake of avoiding them during missions. This was not one of them.

He wiped the blood off his sword and sheathed it, then he moved the snake's body to seal it in a storage scroll, in case they encountered more of them and would need to identify it later.

Alert and unwilling to relax, he remained standing for the rest of his shift.

Over the course of a few days they trekked along progressively thinner and rougher roads until they reached a traditional, homely Inn at the very outskirts of a small village. Smoke rose from its chimney and a rich, mouthwatering scent of curry mixed with the smell of fire coming from the establishment. A humble sign at the front advertised access to a hot spring for all its guests.

“We might just as well sleep here tonight.” Fugaku suggested.

The Inn was warm, to say the least. Behind the main entrance was an open area with low tables. A tall, wooden bar separated the guests’ area and behind it a red-faced, plump old man cooked over a long grill with open flames licking the bottoms of the pots and pans at his disposal. The smell of curry and smoke was overwhelming, practically headache-inducing. How the few guests sitting at the tables withstood it, eating and drinking at leisurely paces, Sasuke had no idea. Glancing over at them, he caught eye contact with a woman around his own age. Nothing stood out about the woman initially; she looked as plain and unassuming as any normal farmer’s girl. Brown hair, pretty green eyes, and a deep tan that made her skin color near identical to that of the simple yukata she wore. However, something about the way she looked at him unsettled him, and he quickly memorized her features before pointedly turning away.

A middle-aged hostess stood by the bar and greeted them with a kind smile and waved at them to come over. She dabbed at her face with a small towel in an attempt to get rid of some of the sweat on her cheeks. “Welcome! Are you boys looking to stay the night or just here for a good hearty meal?”

“Both, if you will have us.” Fugaku said with a nod, going over to talk to her. Sasuke shot another glance back towards the woman and saw her get up and disappear into a corridor towards where he assumed the Inn's rooms were.

Itachi nudged his arm and his eyes shot back to his brother.

They walked down the same corridor as the woman, finding their room at the very end of the hallway. There was no sign of her, however.

The heat of the inn permeated even their room, giving them no respite or place to cool down. They had the old man's curry for dinner and discovered that it was just as smoky as the air of the bar where it was made. In the winter it might have made for a comforting, relaxing meal, but in the already abundant heat its warming effect had them sweating and the prospect of a cool shower was very tantalizing by the time they had emptied their bowls.

The hot spring the Inn advertised was a short walk along a stony path from the back of the Inn to a smaller separate building surrounded by the forest. The sun was already setting and hung low and red in the sky and the sound of crickets singing in the fields of the village went unmuffled by the distance to the inn and the trees between them.

Even Itachi, despite his long-lived hatred of public bath spaces, seemed somewhat relieved to enter the men's showers… especially after seeing that it was empty.

The three of them sat down and started washing up. Sasuke relished the feeling of fresh water against his skin. Rinsing and scrubbing the travel dust, light grime and sweat from his body he started to feel both more awake and more relaxed at the same time.

The Inn offered basic liquid cleansers, but to Sasuke’s great amusement Itachi had apparently brought his bottle of expensive, fragrance-free conditioner from home. He massaged a generous amount of the creamy substance into his hair before he swirled it into a round bun at the top of his head. Sasuke smirked, rubbing his own scalp to a foamy mess with normal soap.

“Why do you bother? Long hair just seems to get in the way.” He commented, not unkindly.

“Hm?” Itachi got on with scrubbing his arms meticulously, a perfectionist through and through – even with the most mundane of tasks. “Do you not think it suits me?”

Sasuke shook some of the water out of his own hair, the wet bangs slapping against his cheeks as he did. “I don’t care if it does.”

Itachi flicked his forehead with a soapy finger.

“You take your looks for granted, but there are advantages to maintaining proper personal care.”

Indignant, Sasuke stiffened and scowled. “I do,” he protested.

“I just saw you use _soap_ when there is a bottle of perfectly acceptable shampoo right here. What if you damage your follicles and go bald?”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, “balding is hereditary.” He shot a glance at Fugaku’s very much full head of dark hair. Their father’s hair might be slowly turning grey, but he showed no signs of losing any of it. Itachi side-eyed him seriously.

“That is only one sort of hair-loss, Sasuke. There are other causes as well, such as overstressing your scalp.”

A sudden sense of dread came over him, and he slowly put the soap down.

“Boys...” Fugaku sighed tiredly.

With their bodies clean and hair follicles hopefully intact, they gratefully found that even the outdoors hot spring itself was empty. The night was pleasant and colder than the day. Sitting with the hot water up to his chest was immensely comfortable, especially so with the light, cool breeze that brushed his cheeks and contrasted the warmth pleasantly.

Sasuke sat with his eyes closed, listening to the forest. The crickets sang. Leaves fluttered. A bird was calling out for his mate. His father and his brother breathed evenly.

Like this, it was easy to forget where he was. Despite the unfamiliar environment, the sounds that sung of a small village far away from their compound, and the scent of smoke and spring water… his heart felt at home letting the relaxing warmth of the water seep into his muscles with his brother and father to share the bath.

He missed the others, though. Mother, Naruto, Sakura… even Kakashi and Shisui seemed to belong in his feeling of home. He tried to pinpoint why that was, but the answer eluded him.

He opened his eyes. Pointed them at the sky. The breeze picked up, his still wet hair fluttering like the thin branches of the trees around the spring.

Black and white… the vast expanse of space so impossibly high above even the tallest mountain he had ever climbed seemed to absorb his question, absolving it in the face of its endless width. The same stars that his mother’s eyes had caught so easily were distant tonight.

Were they even the same? He pondered.

The immediate world did not seem to be the same without his loved ones in it. He knew it was impossible, and yet it was hard to shake the thought of his universe shifting as the people around him disappeared from it. A heavy, weighty pressure grew over his chest as he imagined it. _When people you love disappear…_ His eyes wanted to fall shut again, but he held them open. A memory came to the front of his mind, one about his brother. _Izumi… did Itachi’s world shift when she disappeared from it, I wonder?_

It had been over a decade since that time – the one time he had seen his brother truly grieve a lost comrade.

Sitting next to him, between Sasuke and opposite to Fugaku, Itachi did not seem to be enjoying the spring. There was a tension to his shoulders, and his black eyes were fixed on a spot on the wooden fence that surrounded the spring; at the section protecting the decency of the women’s section.

He noticed Sasuke watching him and made eye-contact. The two brothers gazed at each other, Sasuke wondering what he might be thinking of.

Whatever it was, he received no answer.

“We should be able to reach our destination within a day or two if there are no delays. We’ll head out before sunrise and keep a fast pace tomorrow.” Fugaku’s voice was loud against the relative quiet, cutting through the low noises of the woods and echoing slightly against the walls. Itachi broke eye-contact with Sasuke, quietly gazing down at the water instead.

Sasuke nodded once, agreeing with a low hum. Traveling might be pleasant but there was no purpose to wasting their time leisurely strolling just for the sake of it. His eyes met Fugaku’s now, and he raised a brow at the unexpected, seemingly unprompted warmth that filled them.

“What?” Sasuke asked.

Fugaku exhaled through his nose in a quick huff. “My aunt was the one to take me on this journey when I was young. I’m grateful I get to be the one to go there with you.” Sasuke paused, and felt Itachi do the same by his side.

“Why didn’t Grandfather take you?” Itachi questioned half-heartedly, expressing very little in terms of genuine interest. The warmth to Fugaku’s gaze faded away, and he looked to both his sons quietly.

It was strange. Silence stretched out between them.

“He died before he could.” Fugaku muttered gravely. Sasuke and Itachi both listened intently, and a bitter smile touched their father’s lips, “though truth be told, we would probably have fought the entire time even if we did go together.” Abruptly, he stood up and climbed out and went back inside without another look at them.

Sasuke furrowed his brow, watching him leave them in the water. He threw an eye at the moon to estimate the time, and figured that if they were to rise early it was about time to head to bed. He lingered slightly, however; it had been ages since he last shared a bath with Itachi.

His older brother stared on as he had before, his eyelids heavy and he seemed absent-minded again. With as little warning as Fugaku had given, he too got out, leaving Sasuke alone.

It was far from the first time that he wondered what was going on between his brother and his father.

Within the safety of the Inn there was no reason for them to have a guard. The three of them got to sleep properly, their futons rolled out side-by-side in the room with their backpacks lined up neatly against the wall by the door.

Compared to the hard ground the futon was like a cloud of comfort. Under the heavy covers his thoughts could wander freely, as he had felt able to. As it always did during missions, his head filled with images and pieces of information he had gathered so far. Intentionally processing it, repeating it to himself to help him remember and understand every part that might turn out to be important until he was satiated.

Then his mind moved past the mission, until he found himself thinking of Sakura, and his heart started beating faster.

They had been in a rush to say good-bye the night before he left the village. Without thinking he had wound up in her bed, but he had done so with his family waiting at home and unable to linger with her. Still, rushed or not… it still made a happy memory. One that made him warm and fuzzy to quietly relive in the comfort of his futon.

Warm and fuzzy… until a chill ran down his spine and instinct made him shoot up.

Something was wrong.

Sitting with the cover still over his legs. He turned and saw Itachi to his right, closest to the window of their room, awake and alert. Sasuke rose from the bedding soundlessly, attaching his pouch of weapons to his leg and grabbing a kunai in one quick move.

It was quiet. Itachi rose more slowly than Sasuke had, although there was something far more deadly in the way he moved. Silently, fearlessly, he walked up to the window.

Half a second later the windowpane shattered.

Itachi stepped out of danger immediately and the cascade of glass shot across the room. Fugaku rolled automatically and threw his cover up in the air to catch the shards headed towards him, and rose to his feet a moment later. A figure jumped through the now empty window frame and lounged for Itachi. Two short, curved daggers shone in her hands and her green eyes gleamed even in the minimal moonlight making its way inside.

She was instantly recognizable as the woman from earlier, and Sasuke swept up in front of her to catch her daggers with the kunai in his hand, simultaneously grabbing a second one to sweep at her guts. She hopped back and it sliced harmlessly through her Obi, avoiding any harm to her belly, only to find herself pushed against the wall by Itachi – his empty hand pinning her wrists and his sword pressed against her throat.

“Who are you?” He said, utterly cold and void of emotion. Before she could answer panic came over her and Sasuke did not need to see his brother’s eyes to understand that they were no longer black. She twitched, and the edge of his sword cut a thin line through the skin of her neck. It was no more than skin-deep but a small splatter of her blood hit Itachi’s face, just barely avoiding his open, activated sharingan.

Sasuke summoned a length of rope from a small scroll from his weapons pouch, swept in and tied her up where she stood, frozen under whatever genjutsu Itachi had put on her. He took the daggers from her hands and put them at a safe distance from her just before she fell lax and slumped down onto her behind against the wall. Itachi stepped back and let his eyes fade back into their normal, black and blank state. The woman groaned miserably and squirmed against the rope.

Itachi lowered his sword to let it hang loosely along his side.

“Her name is Mi, and she is a rouge with no Village affiliation... She was reluctant to give up any more information than that.” He reported coolly, “but she does know who we are.”

 _That explains why she was looking at me… but not why she came at us with an intent to kill,_ Sasuke added to himself. He began to search her for any belongings that might give them more information.

Behind the folds of her damaged Obi, he found a small leather package. He took it aside to open it.

Itachi made a face, blinked several times and raised his hand to swipe at the blood on his face. His fingers red with it, he gave it a thoughtful look and promptly went to carefully wipe it off with the cover Fugaku had thrown. She was waking up now, groggily opening her eyes and taking in the situation.

Sasuke opened the leather package, and found several thin vials and syringes with what looked like blood, pee and some water-like substance. “What is this? Are you a medic-nin?” He questioned, holding up a syringe filled with blood where she could see it.

Something dark flashed across her face for a split second and she bit her bottom lip hard enough to break the skin.

“If you’re going to harm yourself we will have to put a gag on you –“ Fugaku began, taking a step closer to her, but she just sucked at the wound and made to spit blood towards him.

He dodged it with composure.

Itachi stepped back, raising his arm protectively in the space between their captive and Sasuke. “Careful. Her blood appears to be poisonous, or possibly acidic.” He warned, “it’s stinging where it hit me.”

Sasuke put the syringe and vials back into the package. “Then we have to rinse it off before it sinks in.” He went to grab the water bottle from his pack and wasted no time helping his brother wash it off his face. Sure enough, the skin was red and irritated where her blood had hit it even after cleansing it with water.

The woman kicked against the floor, cursing under her breath. She froze when her eyes met Fugaku’s.

“Now then. Let’s find out a bit more about you, young lady.” He said with an eerily professional calm, as if this as nothing out of the ordinary. Her eyes widened and that look of terror returned to them when his gleamed red, the sharingan spinning into place effortlessly.

The woman froze again, and Sasuke almost flinched at the sight of his father earning the nickname he had only heard in whispers back home.

 _‘Wicked Eye’_ Fugaku got to work and his sons observed carefully.


	15. Division

They got no sleep that night, after all.

Genjutsu had never been Sasuke’s primary talent. While his relationship to the village’s Jinchūriki meant he had pushed himself far beyond his limits to fully utilize the sharingan as soon as he possibly could, his mastery of the art of illusions was very much average for an Uchiha. Keeping the Nine-Tails in check during the tumultuous years their team had struggled against the bubbling, searing force of nature that was the kyūbi had very little to do with casting convincing mental traps on people.

Fugaku, however, was a hardened expert with decades more experience on his back. Even with his Eyes activated, Sasuke was not able to keep up with what his father was doing to the woman in their room.

The terror had left Mi as soon as she had locked eyes with Fugaku. Her body slumped, pressing against the ropes that held her, as still and unflinching as if she were dead... had she not been breathing and blinking at an unnaturally even pace.

Fugaku stood before her. His stance broad, straight, and proud; arms crossed and his face exuding a silent, authoritative calm. His Eyes shone red in the dark room. They were sharp, half-closed and he did not blink for what seemed like an impossibly long time. His sons watched him, hesitant to move so much as a muscle. Not until he finally broke the silence.

Still not blinking, and still not moving, Fugaku spoke quietly. “She is an interesting one. Very resilient.”

Itachi spoke calmly, “she must have quite the will to endure both of our genjutsu” he said. Insultingly, Fugaku scoffed at the comment.

“We use very different methods, Itachi. I don’t know who taught you to use torture but I assure you it is not as reliable as you might think… a person’s mind will do anything to protect them rather than be pried open by force.”

Itachi blinked and froze, while Sasuke almost flinched. The sudden reprimand was unexpected. Fugaku ignored them both and continued to tell them, “there is something protecting her conscious. Certain specialists sometimes learn to put up unique defenses but this is to an impressive extent… And she knows it.” His Eyes faded to black, and he finally blinked. “I could only see what she showed me willingly; but it will have to do for now.”

The young woman fell forward. Her green eyes shutting before she hit the floor. Sasuke stepped forward to check on her, and found her blissfully unconscious.

“I put her in a dream for now. She cannot hear us.” Fugaku said firmly and turned to Itachi, looking at him with the strict yet indifferent look Sasuke was used to receiving. “You were right about her blood. She was born in small community of farmers with some kind of genetic defect that makes her poisonous to people, and was excommunicated from her village for it. Since then she has roamed about taking odd jobs to feed herself, until she found a lover who taught her how to fight.” He paused, cocking his head and looking down at the woman named Mi again. “This attack on us appears to have been just another job from a shady employer to her.”

“Who hired her then…? And where is her partner?” Sasuke said, eyeing her carefully. Something about her still put him at unease, even unconscious.

“That, I don’t know.” Fugaku answered quietly.

The three of them exchanged looks, the silence spreading until it laid heavy on them.

“We will have to kill her.”

Itachi seemed distant. He sounded numb. His words echoed from his throat as if from somewhere far away, like in an empty cave where someone else was talking. “Get as much information as you can and report to the Hokage. After that, if we receive no other instructions, we should get rid of her before finding the other involved parties.”

Sasuke watched him cautiously. Not used to seeing this side of him, but also not surprised with its existence.

Fugaku took a step towards his eldest son. Something cross seemed to come over him. It looked like anger, though he was holding it back. “No. She should be handed over to my officers. Executing her immediately is too hasty.”

Itachi’s blank stare was full of ice. For a moment, Sasuke felt he might as well have been wearing the porcelain mask of the ANBU, for he would have seemed no different. “Escorting her back to the Leaf wastes time… and it leaves us vulnerable for further ambushes. We can move more freely and fight more efficiently without her.”

Their father’s gaze darkened now, too. Except his was not cold. Instead, his temper flared. Though the fire of his temperament remained contained behind his eyes, where it could not touch his son, his words were still severe and reprimanding. “We are not in war times, nor are we in a hurry. There is no need for such violence.”

His eyes narrowed as he spoke, but Itachi did not yield. “What of her lover? They will have every reason to come after us. It is necessary to take what precautions we can… however distasteful they may be.”

Sasuke looked between them. Quietly he thought that his mother had been right about them needing to resolve their disagreements – the time at which it would cause trouble would approach even faster out here than within the relative safety of the Hidden Leaf.

He was no stranger to conflicts in dire situations and what it could cost them. And so had no reason to stand back and let it escalate.

“We don’t have to settle for either of those options.” He cut in. They seemed ready to either ignore him or shut him down, but he paid it no mind. Whether they liked it or not they would hear his opinion. “Send an order for a small squad of officers to come fetch her. Give them the report for Kakashi.” He paused. They were both looking at him sternly, and he stared right back into the black, piercing eyes. “Then we proceed towards our destination.”

Fugaku’s face changed expressions. Sasuke could tell that his father was considering the plan, though he was somewhat reluctant to. He needed further explaining to be convinced, and Sasuke was ready to offer it.

“That genetic defect of hers is probably a kekkei genkai. If so, then she probably hoped she could hurt us even if we woke up before she could kill us in our sleep. Or…” He turned towards Fugaku, “… her attacking and failing to kill us was planned. That is also a possibility.” Sasuke glanced at the young woman then, strangely enough thinking of Naruto. _She knew we were Uchiha and still attacked us on her own. Kekkei genkai or not she would have had to be ridiculously skilled to succeed._ A sting of tension drew his eyebrows closer together. “Doing the unexpected can be highly effective if you’re strong enough to follow through.” He said, “we can keep guard for the time it takes for someone to come get her, then we could lure her partner out in an advantageous location on the way. Meanwhile, people back home can put her through more thorough interrogation.”

His father grunted, lowering his head and shooting a glance at Itachi. “A third alternative has been presented. What do you say?”

Itachi stared coolly at Sasuke, and in the dark he looked far older than he was. Shadows painted him as a bleak, grave and deadly creature, and yet Sasuke still could not find it in him to fear him. Those pale features basked in shadows were still those of his brother. His kind, loving, and immensely powerful brother. Slowly, Itachi nodded. “Yes. That could work.”

“Very well then. We will follow your plan, Sasuke… with one important change.” Fugaku stated, “we will not inform anyone of what she did. As far as anyone outside of this room knows, she tried to rob the Inn and we just happened to be here to stop her. We will tell the officers she is deemed too dangerous to be handled outside of the Hidden Leaf, due to her suspected kekkei genkai.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, silently questioning his father who shook his head.

“My officers are mostly Uchiha, and deeply loyal to the clan. If they find out there was an attempt on our lives then they will be enraged by it, and demand action. The last thing we need is for the dissent among our own to grow any further than it already has after the Kazekage’s speech.”

There was little to argue against that. Sasuke conceded, and Itachi gave his silent lack of objection which he could only assume was the same as agreement in this case.

The woman stirred where she laid, still kept in a deep sleep and bleeding from her lip and neck. Itachi finally sheathed his sword, and Fugaku left the room to explain the situation to the Innkeepers.

Sasuke would have taken the time to investigate the premises for more clues, especially searching her room and outside their window was prudent, had he not been distracted by the increasing redness splattered across Itachi’s face.

Where Mi’s blood had hit him the skin was quickly taking damage. Even with the blood gone whatever chemical it contained must have seeped into his pores because it looked worse by the minute. First it flaked, then it bled. Sasuke did what he could for the wound with an ointment Sakura had labeled ‘ _for cuts and scrapes’_ as it was the closest thing he could find. While Sasuke smeared it over the opening wounds Itachi did not flinch, not even when he got some of the ointment directly in an open crack of the skin and a fresh trail of blood ran down his cheek.

The damage to his hand was far less severe. Where he had wiped at the blood on his face and stained his fingers, the skin looked irritated but it did not seem prone to break open. Sasuke massaged ointment over his hand all the same, running his own fingers over his big brother’s before moving on to dressing the wounds on his face.

“I’m fine, Sasuke.” Itachi murmured gently. He still let him proceed to cover the open blisters with compress and tape from the med-kit. Sasuke ignored the claim and hoped the worst extent of the damage had already been done. Itachi cocked his head when he finished, touching the edge of the tape with the pads of his fingers. “A neat job… is learning to use that why it took you so long to walk Sakura home?”

Sasuke shot him an unimpressed look.

Itachi cracked a soft smile despite the strain it put on the tape. “It is not a bad plan.” He said suddenly, “you were quick to come up with a compromise we all could agree on.”

The praise bounced off Sasuke, it seemed thoroughly unremarkable to him. All he wanted was a successful outcome. As it happened, both not getting along and choosing the wrong tactic could sabotage their chances of getting to the Hideout safely. “It’s just teamwork.” He said calmly, “that was the first lesson Kakashi ever gave us; you’ll never succeed as a shinobi if you don’t work as a team.”

Itachi stopped smiling, turning his eyes mellowly towards the floor. “That does sound like Kakashi-san.”

Sasuke did not ask how Itachi seemed to know his old mentor so well, it was not the time for that. Instead he turned towards the woman on the floor, pondering what to do about her wounds. They should cover them up to keep her from bleeding on them, and even if she would not try to scream a gag to keep her from biting herself would be necessary.

Before he could approach her, the door slid open and Fugaku returned. He seemed surprised at the state of Itachi’s face, worry flickering over his features. “Are you alright, son?” He asked with a tenderness to his tone that rung with familiarity in Sasuke’s ears, it was one he remembered hearing many times when they were little.

Itachi’s gazed attentively at their father, his eyes widening ever so slightly as he too seemed to recognize the fatherly tone to Fugaku’s voice. “I’m fine.” He repeated.

Fugaku’s face remained somewhat concerned, but he took the answer as truth and turned to his youngest and reached out a hand towards him. “Leave her to me for now, I’d like you to search the premises.” Sasuke put the kit in his hand. “The innkeepers said her room is number four.” 

The Inn outside their room was far from entirely quiet, small noises escaping the other occupied rooms and the distant sound of crickets was noticeable even in the long hallway.

There was nothing of interest about her belongings – all she carried in the pack Sasuke found in her room were very basic equipment any normal traveler would need. He checked each item for seals and henges, but there simply was nothing to reveal.

He still brought the pack with him so they could hand it over to the officers when they came. Perhaps the specialists back home could use it to find out more than he could.

By the time he made it back to the room, Mi was awake.

Clean bandages covered her neck and medical tape held the wound on her lip shut. She sat leaned against the wall with Fugaku in front of her, his legs wrapped around each other in a tailor’s position and his arms crossed over his chest. The broken window was covered with a sheet of fabric, and the shards of glass that had scattered through the room was nowhere to be seen.

In the electric light from the flat lamp on the ceiling, their prisoner looked less worse for wear than she should have. When Sasuke entered the room, her green eyes shot towards him.

She was angry and he could hardly blame her. Though, he had little sympathy for anyone who would come for his family the way she had. Ignoring the glare she directed towards him, he left her pack next to his own.

For the rest of that night, they did what they could to pry information out of her. Fugaku had not been kidding when he said she was resilient however, as it took them over an hour just to provoke her enough to get her to confirm that she did indeed have a partner who would come to help her.

Twisting and pulling at the rope around her arms, she forced her body forward and tried to head-butt Fugaku, snarling at him when he dodged.

Maintaining his cool, borderline professional calm, Fugaku simply repeated the question that had angered her: “does this person care enough about you to come after us or will they give up when they find out you’ve failed?”

“Like hell I’d be abandoned like that!” She burst out, her voice breaking at the word _‘abandoned’_. Her broken lip trembled before she composed herself again – recovering from the momentary lapse in her resilience and launching a ball of spit towards Fugaku’s face. Again, he avoided her attack without much issue.

“Good to know. Thank you for the confirmation.” He said simply, leaning forward and wrapping a gag of cloth around her face.

It took three Konoha officers two days to reach the Inn, traveling at top speed and bringing proper restraints for the arrest. Impressively, Mi neither caved to their genjutsu nor did she speak again no matter how they prompted her to… except to let out long strings of curse words that contained no further useful information whatsoever.

At least, the damage done to Itachi’s face did not grow any worse over time. On the day the officers came Sasuke peeled off the dressings and found a decent crust of dried blood and ointment protecting the tissue underneath.

By the time they left the Inn behind, Sasuke was itching to find out just who wanted them dead and for what purpose. An assassination attempt on a Clan Head and his two sons was far from a small issue. If it had been successful, it would have been a terrible, direct strike against the entire Uchiha clan… Not to mention a devastating personal loss for Mikoto. Sasuke did not even want to imagine what it would do to her to lose her entire family like that. His promise to her – to make sure Fugaku and Itachi came back safely to her, had to be kept at any cost. That much seemed especially true now that there had already been one attack on their safety.

The roads were fewer and significantly less traveled this far south. At this point the path under their feet was just barely wide enough to fit a decent sized wagon, and it was becoming narrower the further they went. Not far to their east lied the border to the Land of Forests, but there was little traffic over land between their people and the villages of the Land of Fire. Too little to warrant the existence of larger roads, at least.

Their home country was defined by its rich plant life, but down here in the southernmost part of the country, the forest was denser and deeper than even around the Hidden Leaf. Though a thin line through the canopies let the sun shine down on them as long as they followed the path, the trees at their sides swallowed up the daylight and the ground underneath laid darkened by shadow.

Sasuke judged it to mean both a disadvantage and an advantage in one. Heavy woods were exactly the kind of environment Konoha shinobi were used to fighting in – and them being laid out in the sunshine while potential enemies could easily disguise themselves in the shadows around them made the environment ideal for an ambush. If Mi had been telling the truth, then these forests would appear like the perfect place for her lover to make their move.

So long as they were on their guard, they were ready.

They had put a good five kilometers between them and the Inn and the sun stood high in the sky above the treetops. There was plenty of time to close the distance between them and the supposed location of the Hideout but they had no intention of actually doing so before their promised enemy showed up.

And just as promised, they eventually did.

Sasuke was quietly walking behind Itachi, listening to their surroundings and eyeing the skirt of the forest intently, when he heard a dull _thump_ from the edge of the forest. Within a heartbeat, something flashed in the corner of his eye and he spun on the spot, drawing his sword and just barely catching the sharp end of a spear with a loud clang before it could pierce his gut. Instinctively and without hesitation he opened the pathways of chakra to his Eyes and during the second it took for his sharingan to activate he angled his blade to slip the spear’s edge and step up close to its wielder.

The man behind the spear was almost laughably huge – built practically like a spear himself. Lean and taller than anyone Sasuke had ever seen, he carried himself in an unmistakably well-trained and fearless manner. Even with an Uchiha right up in close range the man showed no hints of this being any threat to him.

Sasuke swiped his sword past the long, metal hilt of the spear to cut the enemy but had to interrupt his attack to dodge a sudden burst of liquid coming from the man’s mouth.

Hopping back, he focused on finding the man’s eyes to capture him under the sharingan, only to find there was nothing to make eye-contact with. At least nothing that functioned. 

Sasuke landed on the tips of his toes, Itachi stepping up to his side and Fugaku taking a defensive position in front of both of them, and got a good look at the man. He must have been almost three meters tall, with long, tanned limbs to match. Hair a shade of blue so pale it bordered on white hung from a tall knot on his head, and it reached all the way to his arse. It swung behind his back as he readjusted his position. Most prominently, his eyes lacked both pupils and irises; they were nothing but blank orbs staring blindly from underneath heavy eyelids.

If there was any doubt that the man was completely blind, they were swiftly vanquished when he stretched out a long arm to point accusingly at the empty space a good bit to the left of Fugaku.

“Where is she?!” He demanded, still pointing and blindly staring at the nothing next to them. Sasuke readied himself to take advantage of the opening in his defense, when the man moved again. He spun his spear and dunked the blunt end of its handle against the ground at his feet, sending a loud _thump_ through the air. As soon as the spear hit the road the man turned towards where they were actually standing, now pointing towards Sasuke. “There you are!” He exclaimed victoriously.

Sasuke furrowed his brow at the enemy, keeping his guard high and his sword ready to strike.

“If you’re talking about the woman sent to attack us, she is not with us.” Itachi answered coolly. He man did not bother turning his blank eyes towards Itachi, he just angled his head slightly as if listening towards his direction instead.

“If I didn’t know that I wouldn’t be fuckin’ asking.” He retorted angrily, “tell me what you did to Mi before I finish the job she was dumb enough to start without me!”

The man’s temper was flaring up, but Sasuke considered the possibility of it being faked. He had not forgotten how Mi had known who they were, and no one in their right mind would knowingly go up against three of the strongest Uchiha thinking they would come out unscathed. “Stupid or purposeful?” He asked pointedly. The man cocked an eyebrow at him and Sasuke continued, “why would a lone mercenary of her caliber be sent to kill us in the first place? Whoever gave you the job must have wanted the two of _you_ dead if that was true.”

The man paused. His empty white eyes stared on and despite knowing he probably saw nothing, Sasuke stared right back into them while he thought. _One of them is resilient to genjutsu, the other has eyes that just happens to be immune to the sharingan. That’s very convenient when going up against Uchiha – and yet they expect us to believe they just happened to know so little about us that we wouldn’t question them attacking us one by one?_ Sasuke broke the one-sided eye contact to scan the man. _Highly unlikely._ There had to be another explanation, and pressuring information out of the enemy in front of them was as good a start as any.

True to his first impression, the man seemed anything but intimidated by the accusation. A broad, toothy smile spread over his lips and water began dripping from his opening mouth.

“Clever boy, aren’t you?” The man said calmly, the grip on his spear tightening. He cocked his head, tipping it to the side, before lifting the spear and taking a defensive position with his weapon raised in front of his torso. Water continued to drip even as he spoke, falling from his chin and puddling between his feet. “My name is Dai. Why don’t you show me just how dead Konoha wants me?”


	16. Rising Tide

_Konoha sent them?_

Sasuke stood stunned, the statement ringing through his head and temporarily numbing his mind. Fear clawed at his gut as he churned the possibility of enemies in Konoha; his brain immediately occupied with the question of who else might be targeted if there was someone motivated enough to try and have Konoha’s Chief of the Military Police and prized ANBU captain assassinated. The fear turned to a tight knot of dread in his stomach, and cold dismay spread through his body as he thought about the oblivious people at home.

 _Mother. She could be in danger – what if they’re after our entire family?_ Another thought followed that and struck him like a hammer: _Sakura._ Was her involvement with him enough to make her a target, as well? He realized he had to drive the question to the back of his mind and concentrate. He had no answers, and he would not reach any if he just stood there like a useless coward. Years of training kicked in and he automatically looked to his team to determine a strategy.

Both his current comrades were strong fighters with a great deal of field experience, and from training he had a decent grasp on their styles. However, while he thought he knew them well and loved them more than anything, they did not share the same cooperative bond as he had forged with Naruto and Sakura. Reading their intentions was more difficult, and before he knew what they were thinking, Itachi attacked without him.

Within a fraction of a second he had stepped past their father and stabbed Dai through his soft gut, on the right side above his hip. Right where his kidney should be, Sasuke had time to determine. Water burst out of the enemy’s mouth and a long arm struck out towards Itachi’s head.

Itachi jumped back, making even a quick and spontaneous maneuver like that seem effortless while he did it. The blade of his sword left Dai’s body but instead of blood a spray of clear, translucent liquid left the wound. Dai did not stumble, he stood straight and tall, and to Sasuke’s shock the spray of water intensified – like a dam bursting, it shot out of him in seemingly impossible amounts.

Fugaku shouted for them to get back and Sasuke did as he said without thinking. There was a loud noise and Dai’s body detonated into a cascade, sending a wet shockwave around the man. The three Uchiha managed to dodge it by throwing themselves out of the way before it could drench them and Sasuke had time to recognize the technique as some type of clone dispelling. Sasuke fell in next to Itachi, thinking quickly and looking for the real Dai. “A water clone! Nii-san, can you see where –“ His eyes passed over his brother for just a moment, and he had to do a double take.

Itachi’s eyes were blown wide, and where there should be tomoe, three spiraling curves spun around his pupils instead.

“Itachi?” Sasuke prompted, caught up as much by the strange and unfamiliar look on his brother’s face as the sight of his Mangekyou sharingan. Itachi stayed frozen in place, his Eyes continuing to spin and focus on the spot where Dai’s clone had exploded. Sasuke’s own eyes went wide when began to recognize the emotion. He had seen similar reactions before; although never on someone in his own family. _He’s remembering something,_ he realized.

Sasuke stepped in front of his big brother, lowering his sword and reaching out a hand to his shoulder. He locked eyes with Itachi – pouring chakra into his Eyes and refusing to budge under the weight of the stronger, more superior sharingan spinning like a stray shuriken. Itachi blinked, and for a moment Sasuke could not tell what he was about to do. He stood his ground in front of him, squeezing his shoulder and silently urging him to come back to the present. After blinking again, recognition seemed to reach him and the Mangekyou faded into his normal sharingan. A heartbeat later familiar, nerveless confidence came over him and he removed Sasuke’s hand from his shoulder.

There was not enough time to be relieved before another _thump_ echoed over the road from somewhere behind Itachi. Sasuke peered over his shoulder and readied himself for action.

Fugaku fell in without a word just as Itachi soundlessly spun on the spot. There was the flash of the spear, but it seemed to get stuck in mid-air before it could reach either man or weapon. Sasuke could not see what was happening, so he quickly stepped to Itachi’s side.

With impressive calm and steadiness, Fugaku had stopped the long spear with his bare hand. He had an iron grip on the long metal handle and held it still, not allowing the slightest budge of the weapon in any direction. “That’s quite enough.” He said strictly, as if scolding a disobedient child. Sasuke recognized the tone very well and Dai seemed to, as well. Indignant, the huge man grimaced and tried to jerk his weapon out of Fugaku’s hand to no avail, as his own hands slipped against the handle.

Fugaku took the spear out of its owner’s grip as if it was nothing – twisting it so the sharp end of it turned away from his sons, and then promptly throwing it into the dense forest without a care for where it landed. Dai took several steps back, staring blindly towards his targets.

“If you’re done trying to fight us, it’s time you talk.” Fugaku commanded, taking one long step towards the retreating enemy. “Who are you claiming hired you?”

Dai lowered his head, but he stopped backing away, instead raising his arms in front of his chest. Sasuke tightened the grip on his sword, homing in on his hands in case he was about to make signs for ninjutsu. However, the way he posed his body turned into one easily recognizable as a defensive stance in taijutsu. Regardless, nothing indicated this made any difference to Fugaku, who continued to approach him at a calm and steady pace.

“I will ask you again: who in Konoha are you claiming gave you the job to attack me and my sons?” He said, this time one degree colder and with even less patience for resistance.

Slowly, the strange man called Dai straightened his back and lowered his hands, prompting Fugaku to stop his advance.

Despite the disengaging stance, Sasuke thought he did not seem to be surrendering.

Sure enough, Dai glowered, then crossed his long arms defiantly.

“How rude to rob a blind man of his mobility-aid. I can’t even tell if you’re in front of me or sniffing my arse right now.” He huffed.

Fugaku scoffed. “It won’t help you get yourself out of this troubling business. Answer the question or I’ll find another way to get the information out of you.”

Dai tapped his fingers against his bicep, pouting with his bottom lip. Sasuke could not decide if the man was utterly fearless or just plain stupid - nothing about his body language matched the disadvantage he should realize he was in.

Humming thoughtfully, the man finally seemed to make up his mind. He uncrossed his arms and put two large hands on his hips and straightened his back. “Fine. I’ll talk – but only if you let me take my sweet time fondling the bushes until I find my spear so I can run away without smacking into trees. I have no intention of dying for some shitty job like this.” He said as casually as if agreeing to a slightly inconvenient dinner invitation and not to breaking a contract with a Hidden Village.

“And what of the young woman?” Fugaku replied. “She was very convinced you would come save her – do you intend to abandon any attempts at getting your lover back?”

Dai cocked his head, his lips suddenly curling into an amused smile. Alarmingly, a large drop of water left his mouth when his teeth became visible. “Lover? Oh, she said that, huh.” He muttered, and more water spilled out as he spoke. Suddenly suspecting the Dai in front of them to be another clone, Sasuke left it to his father and brother to keep him in check and directed his attention to every other direction but where he stood.

“I pity the idiots trying to keep her hostage.” Dai continued, “that never turns out well for anyone. I suppose I can promise to let her break loose on her own.”

Sasuke searched for chakra, or even just a silhouette, or any indication of the real Dai hiding from plain sight.

“As for who hired us…” The enemy rumbled, with surprising sincerity, “we weren’t told. Just got detailed descriptions of the targets and one simple order to follow. Nothing so fancy as a chain of command for people like us, you know.”

His sharingan almost burned with the intent focus he poured into making them take in every tiny detail of their surroundings. Scanning… searching…

“But Mi could see the stamp on the papers we were handed. They bore Konoha’s symbol, she said.”

Sasuke finally caught something. A dull yet distinct signature of chakra among the dense vegetation, expertly concealed, yet visible with the aid of his sharingan. He focused both eyes at the same concentrated spot and…

_Thump._

Chakra gathered in the palm of his hand, Sasuke pulled a kunai from the pouch on his leg. The dense metal of the knife took his energy easily and sung with the sound of electricity. It took less than a fraction of a moment; lightning being faster than any human. He threw the kunai straight at the silhouette of his enemy’s chakra and followed the flying blade towards its target. A sprint away from the confrontation on the road, right into the depths of the forest. The sunlight disappeared and the world turned much darker as the dense treetops swallowed up most of the natural light. But Sasuke’s eyes adapted immediately. The sword in his hand echoed the song of his lightning release as he swept it into position to strike down the real Dai before his clone could do any damage to Sasuke’s family.

Dai’s blind eyes did not react to his approach, but his arms moved to protect his large torso, spear coming up to guard his front. Sasuke’s kunai dug deep into his forearm just before he got within reach of his sword – electric shock shooting through his flesh and overriding his voluntary nerve signals. Dai’s arms tensed, muscles constricting, and he could not control the position of his weapon.

Sasuke took the opening, identifying the perfect hole in his defense, and raised his blade. His full focus on landing the attack, he charged –

And he was thrown back by a murder of crows.

Spiraling down in a tornado of claws, beaks and dark feathers, hundreds of birds descended from the canopy and seemed to swallow Dai whole. Sasuke had to jump back, sword still sparking with lightning release, and despite the sheer number of them there was no mistaking the crows’ singular source.

_Itachi._

“Good job, Sasuke.”

The voice came from behind him, and Sasuke’s attention was divided by the sudden presence of his brother. He whipped his head around to see him.

Itachi exuded a cold, quiet lethality. Severe and confrontational, he locked eyes with Sasuke, sharingan meeting sharingan.

“Do you believe him?” Itachi asked. Sasuke had to think for a second before he connected the question to Dai’s accusation: that the village was the source of the threat towards them.

New tension rose to his shoulders and gut. He had barely paid attention to Dai’s words, more intent on finding and fighting him in the moment than on taking in what he was saying.

“If someone from the village wants us dead, I don’t know who it would be.” Sasuke answered carefully. “No one I know of has a reason to.”

Itachi listened, and his coldness subsided.

There was a scream from inside the tornado of birds, and a new explosion of water ripped through the dense formation. The crows scattered, fleeing and disappearing, and when they left the spot where Dai stood there was no longer any trace of him.

“Are you two okay?”

Sasuke and Itachi both turned away from the empty spot left by Dai. Fugaku stood a few meters away, arms crossed and still dripping after what Sasuke could only assume was another exploded water-clone. It was good to see he was all right.

The tension eased from his shoulders, and Sasuke sheathed his sword while he deactivated his sharingan. “Yeah, but he got away in the end.” He answered.

Fugaku nodded. “Never mind that for now. The important part is that you’re both unharmed.” He uncrossed his arms and lowered them to his sides before approaching his sons, and Sasuke could not help but think he looked as relieved as he himself felt. Posture easing, his shoulder rolling back, Fugaku turned to both of them. “He made quite the accusation against the village. If there is even the slightest risk of it being true then we have to send a warning home.”

Itachi gazed quietly at their father, while Sasuke felt that knot of worry in his gut again. _Mother… if anyone lays a hand on her…_ Fear began filling his insides at the thought, but he kept it at bay enough to remain clear-headed. “Shouldn’t we go back if that’s the case? What if something happens?” He asked, but his father remained relaxed and confident.

“Mikoto-san will look into it and take precautions. We can trust her capacity to handle a potential threat.” Fugaku said calmly. 

Sasuke could not help but question it, raising his voice as the knot tightened in him: “how can you be so sure? We don’t even know if they have any more allies or if what Dai claimed was true.”

Their father lowered his shoulders, giving his youngest a sympathetic look. “Don’t worry about your mother, Sasuke. She goes to great lengths to cover it up - but that woman is quite possibly the best kunoichi within her field our clan has ever produced.” Itachi stirred slightly, and Sasuke noticed a hint of surprise that matched his own before their father went on. “Her expertise is espionage, so it’s no wonder very few people know of her skills. Everything she does is subtle enough that you would not notice them unless you already knew this about her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’ll find out for us if there is any legitimacy to Dai’s claims before we do.”

Sasuke felt the information was unexpected, but not unbelievable. _So even though she is retired from active duty, she never did fully stop being a ninja?_ He wondered. After all her talk about admiring career women and accomplished kunoichi, even wanting to meet Sakura for the simple reason that she excelled as the disciple of Tsunade, he had thought she left that life behind her.

As strange as it seemed at first glance, it still soothed him to know she was more capable than he thought. He always knew that his mother was far from meek, but to see his father’s certainty reinforced his faith in her. Sasuke knew better than anyone that Fugaku’s respect was hard-earned, and he did not give praise to anything but excellence.

“Alright. We’ll write her and trust her to deal with the matter at home.” Sasuke finally agreed.

There was a light sound of flapping wings, and a large crow returned to them, settling on Itachi’s shoulder and looking curiously at the three men. Itachi kneeled and took the pack off his back to dig out two small, empty scrolls. “We should send another warning as well – one to the officers escorting Mi.” He said simply, and Sasuke agreed with that as well.

“That’s true. He did say she might break loose on her own.”

Itachi summarized their messages with quick, graceful strokes of a brush, pausing before sealing the ink to look at Sasuke. “Would you like to add anything? I’m leaving a message for Shisui, as an extra precaution.”

Pausing, he thought about Sakura. Perhaps it was an invitation to send her a message as well. He wondered for a second time if there would be any threat against her if there were enemies to the Uchiha within Konoha’s walls, but he did not want to believe so. _She’s competent, and she’ll have Naruto watching out for her… as well as her other friends._ At the moment, it seemed better not to involve them unless absolutely necessary, however. “Just tell Mother she should trust Kakashi.” He said, “he wouldn’t let something like this slide if he knew about it.”

Itachi nodded, and added the sentence. Once sealed, the scrolls were placed in the claws of the crow who promptly took flight and vanished above the dense greenery to the blue sky above. 

They did not return to the road after the encounter. Moving through the forest came at a higher cost of energy, but it was safer and faster. An unbeaten path was more flexible.

Among the deep green canopies of tall trees, clustered close together and soundlessly competing for the scarce stretch of sky and precious sunlight, Sasuke felt an invigorating lightness spread through him. His mind was clear, and his body still full of energy.

Jumping from tree to tree was something he had learned from Kakashi, and after all this time it came as naturally as running. He did not need to think to calculate the distances, nor did he have to plan his landings to execute them perfectly. His body moved on its own, flowing from one movement to another in practiced mastery.

Fugaku took the lead, and Sasuke left space for Itachi behind him - falling to the far back of their informal formation. Conscious of the ever-present possibility of new danger, he kept his guard high, and yet his eyes kept drifting towards his brother.

Out of the three of them, Itachi leapt between branches with the most grace and the least noise. His lean figure landing and lifting softly each time; leaving only faint damage to the bark where the soles of his sandals hit the trees. Sasuke watched him from behind, wishing he could somehow see what was going through his brother’s mind through the back of his head.

That moment when Dai’s first clone exploded lingered among Sasuke’s thoughts, and it bothered him that he could not understand Itachi’s reaction to it. He knew Itachi was more than capable of taking care of himself, not counting his frustrating sleeping habits and tendency to overwork himself, and it was just… unlike him to act the way he had.

Fugaku eventually called for a stop to check their position on the map, the three of them landing on the mossy ground below the trees. While he busied himself with aligning the map and compass Itachi sat down, his back resting against a tree. Sasuke had a quick drink of water, habitually staying hydrated despite not feeling particularly thirsty. A droplet escaped his lips when he tipped his water bottle away from his mouth, and when he made to wipe his mouth the image of Dai about to burst flashed through his mind.

Slowly, he turned towards Itachi. The worry was still there for him, an uncomfortable streak of unease through the middle of his chest and a tension that pulled at his brow to furrow.

Quietly, he approached. Standing right in front of him he bent down and held out the bottle to his brother.

Itachi’s face broke in to a delicate, subtle little smile when he looked up and met Sasuke’s eyes. “Thank you.” He said and took the bottle. Not wanting to seem too confrontational, Sasuke left the position in front of him and sank down next to him. Their shoulders pressed together as he did, and when he glanced over he was surprised to note that not only was he a few centimeters taller than Itachi, but his arm was also thicker than his.

Itachi drank, and Sasuke wondered when that had happened. He had never had quite as slender a build as Itachi and he had noticed surpassing him in plain brute strength, but not in size. To say the least, it felt odd to actually be larger than his big brother.

The bottom of the water bottle was pressed back into his hand.

“Is something bothering you?” Itachi asked calmly, snapping him out of his distraction.

Sasuke took the container and put it in the moss beside him. He focused on Itachi’s eyes, taking in the tender smile on his features and once again wishing that he knew more of what was going on behind those kind eyes of his.

“Yeah.” He started, the tension in his brow intensifying, “what happened back there? I’ve never seen you freeze up at anything.”

The warmth to Itachi’s expression faded gradually, though he made a skilled attempt at keeping the charade up. “I got curious about his technique. I’ve never seen that type of water clone before.” He claimed, and Sasuke crossed his arms angrily.

“Liar. I saw the face you made – and you wouldn’t intentionally be reckless with your Mangekyou sharingan like that.” He retorted, though keeping his tone flat. What he wanted was to understand - not to sound accusatory or provoking. In the corner of his eye Sasuke saw Fugaku lift his head to look towards them, but he did not pay his father any direct attention. Itachi was the one he was interested in, and he rubbed their shoulders together in hopes of coaxing him to open up. It was fine if he was tense about it, but Sasuke still wanted to know. “Nii-san. Tell me, and I’ll listen.”

Itachi hesitated before speaking, but at least he did not shy away from Sasuke’s touch. Rather, he seemed to sink into it and he leaned harder against the tree behind them.

“You’re right, it was not my intention to use the Mangekyou. It was…” He paused, looking down at the moss between his feet. “The way those clones dispelled… it happened to look a lot like the incident that awakened it in the first place. I suppose it resurfaced on its own because I recalled that specific memory.”

Sasuke felt the worry give way. In its place, a stream of warm compassion came forth.

_You thought of her then, big brother?_

He remembered it quite well; the day he found his sibling grieving a friend. It had only happened once, after all.

“I get it. It must have been painful to remember.” Sasuke said, purposefully pouring the compassion he felt into his voice so it might reach him. Itachi tipped his head back against the tree and Fugaku put the map aside. Still intent on communicating with his brother, Sasuke was unsure of where to look when he asked; “you don’t have to tell me what happened to Izumi, but… do you think about her a lot since that day?”

Itachi gazed blankly up at the canopy. His tone was soft, but his voice rough. “Recently, I have. I worry about that story being repeated, and this time it would be far worse.”

 _What does he mean, a story being repeated? The story of how she died?_ Sasuke wondered, but was distracted when Fugaku stood up. His steps were both heavy and slow against the moss.

Sasuke knew he was coming over, but Itachi did not move until he was directly in front of them, so neither did he.

“I’m sorry.”

They were both startled by their father’s words. Sasuke stared in surprise, and Itachi turned his eyes back down from the leafy sky above them. Fugaku squatted down in front of them, his attention keenly on his oldest. “I didn’t say that before – I didn’t think you’d want to hear it. But things have changed, and this time is not the same as back then.” 

Now, Itachi stared as well. A gust of wind above their heads made the countless leaves rustle in the treetops. The breeze closer to the ground pulled at Itachi’s hair and made it wave around his face; the dark strands so much longer and smoother than Sasuke’s own. Itachi lifted his head a little bit further, his dark eyes filling with a quiet calm again. “Aa.” He answered back, “thank you, Father.”

Sasuke watched them carefully. He still did not understand them completely, but it was good to see them communicate.

They put the final stretch of the journey behind them in relative silence. His brother and his father walked side by side among the trees in front of Sasuke, their movements remarkably similar and following the same even rhythm. The atmosphere between them felt different. There seemed to be a truce between them for now, despite how conflict had gnawed at their bond just a few days earlier, and Sasuke was relieved to see it.

They did not speak much, but the silence had grown more comfortable by now.

A silence that was properly broken when the sun began setting and the landscape changed. The forest became less dense and tall mountains reached for the skies in front of them. Fugaku led them through those woods, keeping their pace steady and their course straight until they stood facing a tall wall of stone.

Looking up, Sasuke could see the sky but not the top of the terraced mountain in front of them. He followed his father’s experienced climb, Itachi following closely behind. After ascending several broad, forested platforms, he could see the goal of their journey.

At the top of the mountain, surrounded by small trees bent by the wind, stood a lonely building. Perfectly circular with a rounded roof, many gaping holes for windows, and three wide, chimney-like pillars reaching out towards the sky.

They approached the building and were greeted by a massive Uchiwa carved onto the largest chimney before finally stepping through one of the gaping windows.


End file.
